Support Group Planning — Boundaries, Privacy, and Safe Facilitation

Building a Safer Support Circle or Group

This is a planning guide, not an invitation to a currently operating ECM survivor group. A course completion certificate does not qualify someone to facilitate clinical treatment or investigate abuse.

Begin with an established partner

Use a sexual-assault service organization or qualified, trained facilitator to plan the group. Define whether the group offers education, peer support, or professional treatment. Explain the facilitator’s role, referral options, confidentiality limits, and crisis procedures before enrollment.

Separate adult and youth spaces

College/adult and teen participants should have separate groups. Youth groups need age-appropriate membership, vetted and trained adults, safeguarding procedures, and applicable consent/assent arrangements. Do not use unsupervised mixed adult-minor chats. Prohibit secret private contact between adult members and minors and provide a clear way to report boundary violations.

Use a written participation agreement

• Sharing is optional; passing is welcome.
• No pressure for names, graphic details, confrontation, forgiveness, or public testimony.
• No recording, screenshots, or redistribution of another member’s story.
• No blaming, sexualized comments, threats, solicitation, or retaliation.
• Explain that privacy is expected but cannot be absolutely guaranteed.
• Explain reporting exceptions, what happens in a crisis, and how to leave or request another service.

A simple meeting format

Use a welcome and reminder of boundaries, an optional check-in, a short educational topic, a fictional skill exercise, voluntary general discussion, and a closing resource reminder. Avoid reenacting assaults or requiring participants to relive events. Allow breaks and alternative ways to participate.

Protect contact and participation information

Collect only necessary information and restrict access. Ask what contact method is safe; avoid revealing membership through group messages, shared calendars, public rosters, or notifications. Do not make a support-group roster part of an ordinary classroom progress report. Plan secure handling and retention with the responsible organization.

Respond to concerns

Listen, assess immediate safety, follow reporting duties, and involve qualified help. Do not investigate within the group. Address boundary violations and offer an independent complaint route. Verify local reporting and safeguarding requirements before opening a group.

To locate support now, use RAINN or Childhelp. People can receive support without first completing this course.