General Tools & Support
Below, we have compiled a list of Canada-wide resources and organizations that are focused on sexual violence support, prevention, education, and activism. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list. If you know of any resources or organizations that you believe should be on this list, please don’t hesitate to email us at info@actionnowatlantic.ca.
Support
REES
“REES is a simple, secure online platform for reporting sexual violence, that can be tailored to the diverse needs of public spaces.”
ShelterSafe
“ShelterSafe.ca is an online resource for women and their children seeking safety from violence and abuse. The clickable map serves as a quick resource to connect women with the nearest shelter that can offer safety, hope, and support.”
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
“The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is a confidential, multilingual service, operating 24/7 to connect victims and survivors with social services, law enforcement, and emergency services, as well as receive tips from the public.”
Hope for Wellness
“The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent Help Line counsellors can help if you want to talk; are distressed; have strong emotional reactions; are triggered by painful memories.”
Trans Lifeline
“Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Call us if you need someone trans to talk to, even if you’re not in crisis or if you’re not sure you’re trans.”
Youthspace
“Youthspace.ca is an online crisis & emotional support chat service. We listen without judgement, and keep chats confidential & anonymous.”
Kids Help Phone
“Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French.”
Breelove Counselling
“Providing trauma recovery with an integrative practice focused on community and private partnerships. We use a diverse array of therapeutic modalities including Brainspotting, EMDR, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused, Cognitive Processing, Somatic, Internal Family Systems, Emotionally Focused, and Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. Individuals 16+ are welcome to access our services.”
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
“The CRCVC provides support and guidance to individual victims and their families in order to assist them in obtaining needed services and resources, and advances victims’ rights by presenting the interests and perspectives of victims of crime to Government, at all levels.”
Prevention
Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres
“We are a Pan Canadian group of sexual assault centres who have come together to implement the legal, social and attitudinal changes necessary to prevent, and ultimately eradicate, rape and sexual assault.”
Courage to Act
“Courage to Act is the first national project of its kind to address and prevent gender-based violence on post-secondary campuses in Canada led by Possibility Seeds. It builds on our vital report Courage to Act: Developing a National Framework to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence at Post-Secondary Institutions that provided key recommendations.“
iMPACTS
“The overarching goal of this project is to unearth, dismantle and prevent sexual violence within universities, and ultimately in society, through evidence-based research that will inform sustainable curriculum and policy change. Dr Shariff of the Department of Integrated Studies in Education, Faculty of Education, McGill University, is the Director of this seven-year SSHRC Partnership Project.”
Waves of Change
“The Waves of Change Program takes a prevention approach to sexualized violence on campus. Participants are trained to recognize a range of sexually violent scenarios that commonly occur on post-secondary campuses. They learn various techniques to intervene either as bystanders or as a community to interrupt or stop sexual violence, support survivors, hold those who cause harm accountable for their actions, and transform the culture that allows violence to happen.”
Bringing in the Bystander
“Bringing in the Bystander (BITB) is a prevention program based on the concept that all community members have a role to play in ending incivility, harassment, violence and discrimination. The important role that a bystander has in intervention is the basis for this unique and effective program. The program helps participants gain the knowledge and skills needed to identify and safely intervene before, during and after instances of risky behaviors.”
Education
Safer Schools Survey Report
“The Safer Schools Survey is an initiative to better understand student and alumni experiences with sexual violence, and consent education & resources at Canadian post-secondary institutions. Our aim is to identify current gaps, and what needs to change to end sexual violence on campus, and better support survivors attending post-secondary.”
Possibility Seeds
“Possibility Seeds Consulting is a leading Canadian project management and policy social purpose enterprise dedicated to advancing gender justice. We work alongside communities, public and private institutions to create, connect and cultivate positive change. Our team has over 20 years of broad experience working with communities, governments, labour organizations, public and private institutions.”
The Globe and Mail Unfounded Investigation
“WHY POLICE DISMISS 1 IN 5 SEXUAL ASSAULT CLAIMS AS BASELESS: In a 20-month-long investigation into how police handle sexual assault allegations, The Globe and Mail gathered data from more than 870 police forces. The findings expose deep flaws at every step of the process.”
Ending Violence Association of Canada
“The Ending Violence Association of Canada (EVA CAN) is a national non-profit organization whose main purpose is to educate and respond to gender based violence at the national level. EVA CAN has formed in response to the need to foster a national voice, to bring together all of the sectors involved in the array of anti-violence issues for national dialogue and action, for collaboration across provinces and territories to develop comprehensive and coordinated responses, for developing and sharing information and best practices, promoting safety of workers in the field, and creating more effective gateways to services.”
Canadian Women’s Foundation
“The Canadian Women’s Foundation is a national leader in the movement for gender equality in Canada. Through funding, research, advocacy, and knowledge sharing, we work to achieve systemic change.
We support women, girls, and gender-diverse people to move out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership.”
Activism
White Ribbon
“White Ribbon is the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equity, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity. Since its inception in Toronto in 1991, White Ribbon Campaign initiatives have been organized in over 60 countries around the world. Among its many calls to action, White Ribbon asks men to wear white ribbons as a sign of their pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about all forms of gender-based violence.”
Students for Consent Culture Canada
“Students for Consent Culture Canada is an organization dedicated to supporting intersectional and grassroots anti-sexual violence advocacy and activism on campuses across Canada by serving as a hub of resources, tools, and institutional memory for students to engage with. SFCC also engages in advocacy at the provincial and federal level to create better policies, practices, and accountability measures to protect student survivors. Our overall goal is to work towards creating cultures of consent both on campuses and within civil society across Canada.“
The National OurTurn Action Plan
“The National Our Turn Action Plan, published by the Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU), is our commitment as students to preventing sexual violence, supporting survivors, and advocating for better policies and practices. It includes evidence-based suggestions that can be adopted and adapted by student unions and advocacy groups on campuses across the country. The 20 student unions who have signed on to the plan have committed to doing just that.”
Writing Activism
“The goal of this project is to celebrate the stories of activists fighting sexual violence on Canadian campuses. We want to highlight the difficult, important work done by student activists that so often goes unnoticed. Being creative individuals, we also want to make space for the artistic work that is often inspired by student movements.”