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the samaritans- any1 used then?
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Original post by Anonymous
Why when you search for opinions of the Samaritans there is very, very little negative feedback, no organisation of this size has no detractors, I'm guessing that critics and criticisms are being silenced and supressed and no I'm not being paranoid. I used the service many years ago and was simply bullied into making a donation, they didn't care about and weren't interested in anything I had to say, my situation or anything I was going through. The people I spoke to were just plain rude and some even threatening and abusive, I think the Samaritans have a public face/private disgrace thing going on. The story in the bible where the Samaritans get their name, "the parable of the GOOD Samaritan" was about a group of people, the Samaritans, who were low lives, thieves, robbers and muggers but there was one GOOD Samaritan who helped a man after he had been attacked and robbed, my point being why don't you call yourselves the GOOD Samaritans. Ok I'm older and wiser and realise that predators tend to inhabit places where there is a ready supply of prey. This comment will no doubt be ignored/supressed/buried for being subversive. P.S. I've not left my contact details for fear of reprisals and death threats and have no doubt that if me or somebody else started digging into what really goes on at the Samaritans they'd be opening a whole can of worms.
If you look at this thread there are quite a few people voicing negative opinions, and there are definitely people out there with a negative opinion. How do you think they are silencing or suppressing people? From my experience they are just a bunch of normal people.
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Original post by bullettheory
If you look at this thread there are quite a few people voicing negative opinions, and there are definitely people out there with a negative opinion. How do you think they are silencing or suppressing people? From my experience they are just a bunch of normal people.
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Posted from TSR Mobile
Firstly, this thread is one of seemingly very few posts with negative feedback and the comments are really not all that derogatory, and when someone does leave negative feedback there are quite a lot of replies like yours that want to shout down anyone who dares disrespect the myth that the Samaritans are all sweetness and light, also Google something like "how big firms bury negative feedback" it's really not all that difficult. Secondly, I have used them, although a long time ago, and on balance they were awful, I had a friend who is probably the only other person I have known personally who would admit to using the service had a similar experience.
i have never used smartians however i have used childine and they were so nice i have called them and talk to them on there online chat and they are so nice
Original post by bullettheory
If you look at this thread there are quite a few people voicing negative opinions, and there are definitely people out there with a negative opinion. How do you think they are silencing or suppressing people? From my experience they are just a bunch of normal people.
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Posted from TSR Mobile
I'm sorry mate, just having a mad rant, you're right I'm wrong, the Samaritans are lovely.
Original post by bullettheory
If you look at this thread there are quite a few people voicing negative opinions, and there are definitely people out there with a negative opinion. How do you think they are silencing or suppressing people? From my experience they are just a bunch of normal people.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
I'm sorry, just having a mad rant, you're right I'm wrong, the Samaritans are lovely.
Theres some very rude and cruel people who work there, watch out for the ones who say "i`m just going to play devils advocate" and then come up with some awful thing that "might" happen...so nice of them..... most are "ok" a few are great.....usually irish ,i dont know why.....
(edited 6 years ago)
I was pretty much sexually abused by a Samaritan volunteer, I rang because I have just started therapy and my counsellor told me to call the Samaritans if emotions got too intense.
I made a call when feeling at a very low ebb and nervous coping with an important meeting I had that day. The guy who answered directed me to talk about my sexual victimisation as a child, he wanted to know all the details and kept asking things like were you raped, did he make you do things to him, did he show your pictures to his friends.
I told him I hadn't called to talk about this and why did we have to talk about these things, he said because this is your life and its good to talk about it.
The call went on for half an hour and I was so distressed and felt powerless and victimised, he was clearly enjoying what he was doing.
Thankfully the call hung up, afterwards, I was trembling, I then called the complaints line to tell them and luckily I had it all recorded because my phone automatically records calls. I gave them my consent to listen to the recording in the hope that someone else will be saved from my complaint.
I think its very important that people are aware that all sorts of abuse can happen anywhere and that as soon as they feel uncomfortable with the questions or tone of the volunteer to hang up and try calling again to speak to someone else, this myth that any organisation set up for the vulnerable is without people seeking to abuse others for whatever reason needs to end. Vulnerable people should be aware that they might come across a predatory or uncaring person when seeking help so they can immediately end the communication and speak to someone else and not suffer further.
I made a call when feeling at a very low ebb and nervous coping with an important meeting I had that day. The guy who answered directed me to talk about my sexual victimisation as a child, he wanted to know all the details and kept asking things like were you raped, did he make you do things to him, did he show your pictures to his friends.
I told him I hadn't called to talk about this and why did we have to talk about these things, he said because this is your life and its good to talk about it.
The call went on for half an hour and I was so distressed and felt powerless and victimised, he was clearly enjoying what he was doing.
Thankfully the call hung up, afterwards, I was trembling, I then called the complaints line to tell them and luckily I had it all recorded because my phone automatically records calls. I gave them my consent to listen to the recording in the hope that someone else will be saved from my complaint.
I think its very important that people are aware that all sorts of abuse can happen anywhere and that as soon as they feel uncomfortable with the questions or tone of the volunteer to hang up and try calling again to speak to someone else, this myth that any organisation set up for the vulnerable is without people seeking to abuse others for whatever reason needs to end. Vulnerable people should be aware that they might come across a predatory or uncaring person when seeking help so they can immediately end the communication and speak to someone else and not suffer further.
I work with someone who volunteers at the Samaritans. He is a workplace bully and makes my life hell. Basically he loves to
I am so sad to read about these bad experiences with Samaritans and shocked with some of their reactions.I was a Volunteer at Samaritans for 10 years and also part of the Training team and in those days we were very strict as to who passed through.We were only ever allowed to put the phone down on a Caller if it was a really bad sex call and only then if we couldn’t get them to talk about something else!!The longest call I was ever on was 8 hours!! and that was as a new Volunteer.So I would suggest that anyone who has a bad experience should contact Samaritans again and ask to speak to someone that you can make a complaint to.
I just used them just now. Quite a disappointing service for myself. It felt too rehearsed.
Ive had different experiences of around 5 times calling them, over about 30 years. BE CAREFUL, two were very good and I felt positive after talking to them. The last one especially seemed bored and couldn't wait for the call to end and infact wrapped it up herself. It seemed like she was encouraging me to kill myself and said for me to call back at that time so that someone could be there when I was doing it. This made me feel worse as really, deep down, I want someone to help or encourage me not to do it. I think their philosophy of not preventing someone to do it, is entirely wrong as no one who calls for help is truly wanting to do it and is really reaching out for REAL help
I too have had cause to call the Samaritans twice. The first time I gave up because the call handler was unskilled and seemed to find it strange that I felt suicidal. He was unable to 'feel' connected.The second time I spoke to a young woman who couldn't offer anything but an ear to listen which wasn't nearly enough. Just a few clear suggestions on how to handle the next hour or so in order to get me back home to the safety of family would have helped.
Original post by Emmie 7
I too have had cause to call the Samaritans twice. The first time I gave up because the call handler was unskilled and seemed to find it strange that I felt suicidal. He was unable to 'feel' connected.The second time I spoke to a young woman who couldn't offer anything but an ear to listen which wasn't nearly enough. Just a few clear suggestions on how to handle the next hour or so in order to get me back home to the safety of family would have helped.
I’m sorry to hear that.
Unfortunately the Samaritans are not allowed to give any advice at all
They can’t make suggestions or give opinions
It really is just a listening ear, which is why people are frustrated when they appear to just say things like hmm.
They are trained to ask questions so that you answer them for yourself.
That style is not for everyone
You might find it more helpful to try a different helpline
I just spoke to them and tbf the man I spoke to was nice but definitely sounded rehearsed and kind of condescending and I pulled him up on it to be honest and it got to nearly an hour of the call and he said maybe it’s time to talk to somebody else as in him talking to somebody else which I found a little abrupt
I've personally had some bad experiences with The Samaritans. I've also come across more than a few other people who have also been shaken up by their encounters with this charity. However, it is very difficult to be 'heard' as there is such a golden glow around the organisation.Once when I was having a hell of a time with a rogue landlord who had threatened me and was entering my property without consent. There were no rent or maintenance issues - I was paid up well in advance and was a model clean-and-tidy tenant. I'd had advice from housing charities who were helping me take him to court. While all this was in hand I had bouts of deep depression and feeling threatened. I couldn't have someone with me 24/7 so often felt isolated, and even completed suicide. I contacted Samaritans.The girl who answered asked why I was calling. I told her how I was feeling. She asked what had led to me feeling this way. I mentioned the landlord problems, the threats etc. She replied that they did not give housing advice! I said I wasn't phoning for housing advice - that I already had help from a housing charity. I was phoning because I felt suicidal. She simply kept on repeating, like a broken record, that they didn't give housing advice. No matter how often I said 'but I'm not looking for housing advice - I'm calling Samaritans because of how I feel. Isn't that what you're for?' - she would simply keep repeating that they didn't give housing advice.Even as I type here I find it hard to believe that this happened. I felt so much worse after the call than I had before.Despite this I had occasion to give Samaritans a try on a couple of other times in my life. Both were abysmal experiences. I have given up on them. Others have also told me about their unhappy encounters with the organisation. Overall it seems the major complaints are that they are highly judgmental, harsh in tone, don't really listen, give stock responses, try to 'diagnose' what is wrong with people, and give (poor quality) advice - when they are not supposed to advise at all. I think that time is long overdue for a national enquiry and review of the service.
