Friends & Family

UNDERSTAND MORE. SUPPORT WITH CONFIDENCE.
When someone you care about has experienced sexual trauma, knowing how to help can feel difficult. SAIF offers an injury-based perspective to help you understand their needs, respond with compassion and support their search for appropriate care.
Explore SAIF for Professionals

Be The Support That Makes A Difference

KNOWLEDGE FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

You may want to help someone you love but feel unsure about what to say, how to respond or where to find support. Understanding sexual trauma can help you approach these moments with greater clarity.

Shaped by more than ten years of clinical research and survivor-informed insight, WONSA’s approach offers knowledge to help you support your loved one, advocate for appropriate treatment and recognise well-meant reactions that may be unhelpful.

Why learn about SAIF?

Understand the impact of sexual trauma.

Recognise that different injuries involve different needs.

Respond with greater understanding and compassion.

Support access to informed professional care.

Get SAIF Certified

What SAIF brings to everyday support

TURN UNDERSTANDING INTO THOUGHTFUL SUPPORT

Understand the underlying injury

Explore how sexual trauma can affect someone beyond their visible symptoms, helping you better understand the challenges they may be experiencing.

Recognise individual needs

Learn how different injury levels relate to different needs, while recognising that no two survivors experience healing in exactly the same way.

Respond with compassion

Develop understanding that can help you recognise well-intentioned but unhelpful reactions and offer more thoughtful support.

Advocate for appropriate care

Learn why recognising sexual trauma injuries matters and how informed professional care can be relevant to your loved one’s needs.

Emily Johnson

MD, CO-FOUNDER AND Certified PSYCHOLOGIST

Meet Our SAIF Specialists

Connect with healthcare professionals who have developed knowledge of Sexual Abuse Injury and the SAIF approach. Explore their experience, areas of practice, and professional background.

Learn more

Jeff Limes

LMH, Psychiatrist
Gita Rajan
Chairman of the Board, Head of Research and Development. PhD, MD, Founder of WONSA, survivor.

Meet Our Specialists

Learn from professionals who bring clinical experience, research, observation, and knowledge to the development of survivor-informed healthcare.

Meet Our Team
Nils Joneborg
Head of the clinic, MD. Specialist in Psychiatry.

Explore SAIF for friends and family

Build your understanding of sexual trauma through the key ideas introduced on this page: recognising injury, understanding individual needs and offering informed support.

Understand the Framework

Explore SAIS and its injury-based approach to understanding the impact of sexual abuse.

Recognise Different Needs

Learn how injury levels relate to different challenges, support needs and treatment principles.

Support with Understanding

Develop knowledge that helps you respond thoughtfully and advocate for appropriate professional care.

Explore the Framework

How Understanding Can Help

LEARN, REFLECT AND SUPPORT

Explore the framework

Begin by learning how SAIF approaches sexual trauma through underlying injuries and their effects.

Understand individual experiences

Recognise that people may face different challenges and that healing does not follow one predictable path.

Reflect on your responses

Consider how greater understanding can shape what you say and how you support someone you care about.

Support access to care

Use your knowledge to better understand treatment needs and support your loved one’s search for informed professional help.

Before You Begin

INFORMATION FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Intended audience

This page is designed for friends and family members who want to understand sexual trauma and support someone they care about.

Entry information

The page does not specify formal entry qualifications or prerequisites. Contact WONSA for questions about any course you are considering.

Course details

Course structure, fees and certification are not listed on this page. Check the relevant course information before enrolling.

Who Can Join the SAIS Program?

This information is for friends and family members of people who have experienced sexual trauma. It offers a starting point if you want to understand their experiences more clearly and learn how your support can be helpful.
Check Your Eligibility
Understand Sexual Trauma
Supporting Your Loved One
Explore the SAIS Framework
Professional Care
Check Your Eligibility

SAIF Program specifications

YOUR PATH TO UNDERSTANDING BEGINS HERE

1

An injury-based perspective

Learn how SAIS approaches sexual trauma through underlying injuries, beyond the symptoms someone may show.
2

A range of trauma experiences

Explore a framework linking PTSD, complex PTSD, and dissociation to sexual trauma injuries.
3

Research and survivor insight

Discover an approach informed by over ten years of research and clinical experience with survivors and clinicians.
Join SAIF-Academy

Bring SAIF into your Clinical Practice

Whether you are a professional seeking deeper clinical knowledge, a survivor seeking greater understanding, or someone supporting a survivor, there is a SAIF pathway for you.

(422) 820 820
or
Join WONSA Academy

Frequently
Asked Questions

Questions we often asked

Read our FAQ’s
It is intended for friends and family members who want to understand sexual trauma and offer more informed support to someone they care about.

WONSA uses SAIF to mean Sexual Abuse Injury Framework. Its framework takes an injury-based approach to understanding the effects of sexual abuse.

It can offer a way to understand different challenges and needs, recognise potentially unhelpful reactions and support the search for appropriate professional care.
No. WONSA emphasises that healing is not a straight line and that no two journeys are the same. Understanding individual needs is central to thoughtful support.
The Friends & Family page does not provide a detailed course list, fees or entry requirements. Check WONSA’s course information or contact the organisation for details.