Crisis Centers in Crisis

No More's global directory of local centers servicing survivors of sexual violence is a key resource for those affected by sibling sexual abuse.

At 5WAVES, our all-volunteer team keeps abreast of current research and resources related to sibling sexual trauma and abuse, creates content for education, awareness, and prevention, provides peer support, and collaborates on research. Through our websites, social media presence, and responses to those who contact us by email, we direct thousands of people each year to local services for crisis support, healing services, and legal advocacy. But what happens if those services are not available? What if the helpline is closed, no advocate to help survivors through the court system, no counseling available to those who lack insurance coverage? If the helpline is only open two days a week or if emergency counselors have a 6-month waiting list, can that even be called crisis support?

The No More Global Directory is a worldwide listing of sexual and domestic violence service providers.  5WAVES features it at the top of each page on siblingsexualtrauma.com, and it is linked in the auto-reply that goes to all who fill out our contact form. We know how crucial it is to have human interaction and individual support, from people who are familiar with local resources, cultural practices, and legal landscapes, when facing the wide-ranging trauma that follows sibling sexual harm and abuse. We also realize that many individuals and families who contact us are also facing other types of domestic and sexual violence, both within and outside the family. 

As an organization in daily contact with service providers in the US and worldwide, the No More Foundation conducted an emergency survey in April 2025 to call attention to a funding crisis facing virtually all of the organizations in their network. The full report from this survey was just released. 

Although the needs of those facing domestic and sexual violence have always surpassed available services, actions taken by the US federal government in 2025 have precipitated a near-universal crisis for organizations addressing sexual and domestic violence. These will have an alarming impact on many survivors and family members in the sibling sexual trauma and abuse community. 

Here are a few examples from the No More report:

• 80% of providers in the No More network have already had their services disrupted.

• 65% of organizations have or will be cutting staff positions.

• In 2025 alone, an estimated 45,000 years of work experience in the domestic and sexual violence sector will be lost due to staff reductions (based on extrapolations of survey data). Staff who remain are at extreme risk for burnout and secondary trauma. 

• 61% of those providing direct services to children have had to reduce their hours or services.

• With less than 10% of all nonprofit revenue coming from individual and foundation donations, the capacity simply does not exist for the private sector to make up for loss of government funding. 

5WAVES, Inc. is not a political or partisan institution. We know that people of every political persuasion live in the shadow of sibling sexual abuse, trauma, and harm, and we are committed to keeping our services welcoming for all. We share this report, not to cast blame for what has been done in the past, but to raise awareness of an emerging crisis that will affect many within our community. This includes children who are currently facing sibling sexual harm and abuse. We respect our readers’ ability to choose their own response to this information, based on their own ability, beliefs, and conscience. 

What impact might this funding crisis have on 5WAVES as an organization? We have neither received nor sought any governmental funding thus far. Our services have all been provided by volunteers with a deep commitment borne of lived experience of sibling sexual trauma, and this is not in jeopardy. However, competition for the limited grant money available is increasing steeply, leaving emerging organizations like 5WAVES with very few options to expand our services. With professional support and counseling services likely to be cut, those facing sibling sexual trauma will be leaning even more heavily on the peer support and reliable online information that 5WAVES provides, free of charge. 

Although 5WAVES has not received any government funding that will be cut, we rely almost exclusively on the donations of those who value the information and support we provide to cover our expenses. We welcome one-time or recurring donations, in any amount, via PayPal. We also encourage readers to check in with their local domestic and/or sexual assault crisis center. We suggest asking how they are faring, learning how you might help. Then let them know that 5WAVES exists and we can help their clients facing sibling sexual trauma and abuse.