Khadija's story: 'I reached out to the RASA 24/7 Helpline during a really difficult time'

I reached out to the RASA 24/7 Helpline during a really difficult time. I had recently moved to a new city and didn’t have any kind of support network yet. After experiencing sexual abuse, I was dealing with a lot of confusion, anger, depression, and isolation. One night, it all caught up with me, and I had a panic attack. My thoughts were racing, and I didn’t know how to manage them on my own.

What I needed in that moment was someone to listen without judgment or questioning what had happened to me. The person on the helpline did exactly that. I felt heard and supported, which mattered more than anything at the time.

That interaction reminded me that support exists, even when you feel completely alone. Having access to the helpline helped me get through that night, and it made a real difference in how I felt moving forward.