How can I build trust between people or members of a group

• Try to be open to hearing everything another person says, without judging it.
• Try to understand how the other person feels. If you have had a similar experience, think about how you felt. But avoid seeing someone else’s experience as exactly like your own. If you do not understand her, do not pretend that you do. No two people have exactly the same life experiences. There is always more to understand about another person.
• Do not tell another person what to do. You can help her understand how the pressures of her family, community, and work responsibilities affect her feelings, but she must make her own decisions.
• Never think of a woman as beyond help.
• Respect the woman’s privacy. Never tell others what she has told you unless it is necessary to protect her life. Always tell her if you plan to speak with someone else for her protection.

It is often easier to turn an existing group into a support group than to create a new one. But be careful when choosing helping relationships. Form relationships only with people who will respect your feelings and your privacy.

Sources

• Burns, A. A., Niemann, S., Lovich, R., Maxwell, J., & Shapiro, K. (2014). Where women have no doctor: A health guide for women. Hesperian Foundation.
• Audiopedia ID: en011514