You don't need to be an SGBV specialist to respond with compassion and care. What matters most is that you understand survivor-centered principles, know how to listen safely, and can connect survivors to appropriate services. These resources will help you respond in a way that respects survivors' dignity, protects their safety, and supports their healing.
A disclosure of sexual and gender-based violence may happen at any time, in any setting, and to any staff member or volunteer. How we respond in the first moments can have a lasting impact on a survivor’s safety, dignity and willingness to seek support.
The following steps outline a survivor-centred approach to responding to SGBV disclosures, based on the Look, Listen, Link principles of Psychological First Aid.
Some examples of what you can say when you meet a person in need of support are:
- Hello, I am (your name) and I am working as a (your role) with (National Society name).
- Does this place feel OK for you?
- Is there another place where you would feel better?
- Do you feel comfortable having the conversation here?
- Would you like some water? Please feel free to have a seat.
- How can I support you?
Step 1: LOOK
Allow the person to approach you. Look for any immediate basic and practical needs. Ask how you can support with any basic urgent needs. Provide practical support like offering water, food, a private place to sit, a tissue, a listening ear etc. If needed, ask the person to choose a person they feel comfortable with to translate.
Remain calm and help the person in front of you feel calmer. Allow the person to share as much or as little as they would like to.
Step 2: LISTEN
Listen actively to the person you interact with and show that you genuinely care about the person. Show empathy, be present and caring, show calm body language. Allow people to express their feelings (crying, shouting, silence etc.). Listen to normalise emotions and reactions – we may have strong feelings and reactions in difficult times.
Step 3: LINK
Ask if there is someone, a friend, family member, teacher, caregiver or anyone else who the person trusts to go to for support. End the conversation supportively, without creating false hope if you cannot help. Be honest with the person, express that you are sorry you cannot be more helpful. Being present while demonstrating active listening is supportive in and of itself.
REMINDER: REFLECT AND PRACTICE SELF-CARE
When you help others, you can be affected by the situation and their reactions. For example, you might be feeling tired, unfocused, sad, scared, guilty. Think about how to take care of yourself as these feelings come up for you and what you can do e.g. maintain routines like sleep, eat, exercise. Reach out to your own support system and network, including your colleagues, team leader or a specialist and seek support. Check with your National Society if a peer-support system exists e.g. Buddy System.
You can use the Psychological First Aid action principles LOOK, LISTEN, LINK to take care of yourself.
- LOOK: pay attention to how you’re doing
- LISTEN: tune in to your mental and physical signals
- LINK: ask for help when you need it.
Responding to SGBV disclosures can be complex, and the Look, Listen, Link steps are only the starting point. To better understand how these principles translate into practice — including referral pathways, consent and confidentiality — we strongly encourage you to review the Safe Referral Guidelines and other resources listed here.
Guidelines on Safe Referrals for National Societies and the Safe Referrals Pocket Guide for Staff and Volunteers (Danish Red Cross, 2025): These Guidelines have been developed by Danish Red Cross. The objective of these guidelines is to foster a common understanding and approach within the Movement to safely identify persons’ needs and risks, and connecting them to the services and support they need in the most appropriate way. It is particularly (but not exclusively) focused on supporting people who have been exposed to violence, coercion, or deprivation (protection risk), especially for people and groups who are at heightened risk.
GBV Pocket Guide (IASC/GBV AoR, 2018): The GBV Pocket Guide offers guidance on how to support survivors of gender-based violence who disclosed to you in a context where there is no gender-based violence actor (including a referral pathway or GBV focal point) available in your area. The pocket guide is a resource package that uses global standards on providing basic support and information to survivors of GBV without doing further harm. It is highly encouraged that this resource be adapted to your local context with the support of a GBV specialist.
Section 3.2 Guidance on Basic Referral Mapping and Case Management - Protection, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI) in Emergencies Toolkit (IFRC, 2021): This section of the IFRC Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) in Emergencies Toolkit offers practical guidance for mapping available referral services and establishing basic case management processes in emergency settings. It supports teams to identify existing services, define safe referral pathways, and outline how to connect people — including survivors of violence — with appropriate support, while aligning with PGI minimum standards and broader protection objectives.
Section 3.2.1 Quality Assurance Checklist - Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) in Emergencies Toolkit (IFRC, 2021): This checklist is a complementary tool within Section 3.2 of the PGI toolkit designed to help teams assess the quality and safety of their referral and case management procedures. It guides users to examine key elements — such as confidentiality, consent, coordination and appropriateness of services — ensuring referral systems are consistent with Protection, Gender and Inclusion principles and provide safe, accessible support for those in need.
First 72 Hours: Critical Support for Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence (ICRC, 2020): Victims/ survivors of sexual violence require and must have access to crucial support -- especially within the first 72 hours that the crime was committed. The range of negative consequences that are uniquely prevented within this time frame include prevention of pregnancy, prevention of HIV/AIDS, ability to collect forensic evidence, treatment of injuries and more. Watch this video to learn more about this critical window.
Three ways to support sexual violence survivors (ICRC, 2024): This video goes over over three simple ways to support sexual violence survivors: listen without judgment, respect their privacy, and offer genuine support. Let them decide when and how they want to share their story and show up for them with care and kindness. It’s the little things that can make a big difference.
Establishing a referral pathway for victim/survivors of sexual violence(ICRC, 2020): This video provides an introduction on how to establish a referral pathway for victim/survivors of sexual violence.
Supporting Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence: a Collective, Achievable Effort (ICRC, 2022): The ICRC has developed a series of illustrations accompanied by key messages inspired by the GBV Pocket Guide (above) to support the work of humanitarians and help development organizations, authorities, communities and individuals to approach and support victims/survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in a dignified way. Life-changing support can start with small but achievable steps.