Proximal witnesses are people who are indirectly impacted by an issue, such as through a loved one. For example, someone may be impacted by the sexual assault of their partner or child. In the anti-sexual and domestic violence fields, these people are often called “secondary survivors” to honour their unique and impactful survivorship. We honour that these proximal witnesses are carriers of secondary harm, as their lives and wellbeing are impacted in significant ways. Many programmes provide intentional, caring services to carriers of secondary harm, such as support groups, and it is not unusual for proximal witnesses to call hotlines to process their experiences. Proximal witnesses (like parents, partners, roommates, and other close friends or family) need unique support, but should not dictate the supports or solutions that are or aren’t available to primary survivors, who experienced the abuse directly. (-The Meaningful Engagement Handbook)