SEXUAL ASSAULT RESOURCES

This is a collection of resources for sexual assault counselling and support services. It is a starting point. Please add further resources and recommendations in the comments section or email us editors @ gutsmagazine.ca

ACROSS CANADA

From the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres, a fairly comprehensive list of rape crisis centres and women’s centres in Canada:
http://www.casac.ca/content/anti-violence-centres

EDMONTON

The Walk-In Counselling Society of Edmonton (WICSOE) provides immediate access to counselling services and charges on a sliding scale based on clients’ financial situation: http://www.walkinedmonton.org/contact/

Compass Centre for Sexual Wellness provides sexual health education and counselling services free of charge: http://www.compasscentre.ca/home/

Nicole Perry is a registered psychologist who runs workshops and also has her own private practice and approaches counselling from an explicitly feminist perspective: http://www.feministcounselloredmonton.com/contact.html

University of Alberta:

Counselling & Clinical Services offers free, confidential psychology services at an office out of Triffo Hall. Registered Psychologist Becky Ponting is in Triffo Hall 1-22 and is available to provide counselling and consultation to University of Alberta graduate students. For consultation, Becky can be reached at (780) 492-5637. If Becky is unavailable, you may also receive consultation from any of the clinicians in Counselling & Clinical Services at (780) 492-5205. See http://www.mentalhealth.ualberta.ca/Your%20Visit.aspx for more details.

The Sexual Assault Centre on campus is available to anyone at no charge and regardless of their affiliation with the University: http://www.sac.ualberta.ca/en/ContactUs.aspx

Their phone number is (780) 492-9771, and they offer phone services. They are located on the second floor of the student union building, in room 2-705. They have drop in hours from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm until October, at which point they have drop in hours from 9 am to 8 pm, although their evening hours are based on volunteer availability so you can call to check whether someone is scheduled to work or not. They also offer email support at SexualAssaultCentre@ualberta.ca.

TORONTO

Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women against Rape provides 24-hour crisis counselling by phone at (416) 597-8808 and offers one-on-one counselling sessions Monday-Friday (to schedule, call (416)-597-1171). They also provide legal, prison and court support, workshops, support groups, and service in Spanish:

http://www.trccmwar.ca/

The Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Care Centre is open 24/7 for women, men and trans people:

http://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/programs-and-services/sexual-assault-domestic-violence-care-centre/

The Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic offers counselling, legal support, and language interpretation for women facing sexual and intimate partner violence:

http://schliferclinic.com/about/about-us/

Helping House offers important resources and support services for newcomers and non-status women:

http://www.helpinghouse.ca/programs-and-services/caregiver-and-temporary-foreign-workers/

University of Toronto

Counselling and Psychological Services at the University of Toronto offers assault counselling and education. To make an appointment, call the confidential line (416) 978-0174:

http://www.caps.utoronto.ca/Services-Offered/Assault-Counselling.htm

OTTAWA

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa has a 24/7 crisis phone line – (613) 234-2266, and provides individual support, support groups, services for youth at risk and advocacy:

http://sascottawa.com/default.aspx

The Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre offers a 24/7 crisis line – (613) 562-2333 – and individual counselling with a variety of approaches, including art therapy, play therapy meditation and relaxation, EMDR cognitive behavioral therapy. They also offer workshops and public education:

http://www.orcc.net/

VANCOUVER

Women against Violence against Women Rape Crisis Centre offers a 24/7 crisis line at (604) 255-6344 or toll free 1-877-392-7583, 24-hour hospital accompaniment, individual counselling, services for Aboriginal women and youth, support groups, advocacy and education:

http://www.wavaw.ca/

KINGSTON

Sexual Assault Centre Kingston offers free, confidential, non-judgmental support to survivors of sexualized violence http://www.sackingston.com/. They also have a 24-hour crisis and support line at (613) 544-6424 or 1 (877) 544-6424.  They do not offer counselling for male survivors. They advise male survivors to contact K3C Community Counselling Services http://k3c.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx at (613) 549-7850.

GUELPH

The University of Guelph compiled a Sexual Assault Support Guide for those in Guelph and Wellington County, including the Waterloo region and Dufferin County.  It is extremely thorough and includes contact information for resources both on and off campus, as well as an extensive section of educational information.  While the guide is over 70 pages long and as such is potentially intimidating, the index is extremely clear and a vital place to start:

https://www.uoguelph.ca/mcb/formslinks/forms/Sexual-Assault-Support-Guide-2014.pdf

HALIFAX

Avalon Sexual Assault Centre offers individual and relational counselling for those experiencing or recovering from sexual assault or violence. They also offer legal support and advocacy and community education:

http://avaloncentre.ca/

For those who have experienced a sexual assault in the past 72 hours, Avalon also offers a sexual assault nurse examiner. For more information: http://avaloncentre.ca/services/sexual-assault-nurse-examiner/