December 8, 2019 by Virginia Dakiniewich

December 2019 Newsletter

Giving Tuesday may be over but the Season of Giving carries on until the end of December. At SSAIC we are very fortunate to be supported by a loyal group of individuals who want to ensure that we can continue to support survivors of sexual violence when they reach out to us for help. If you are contemplating some end of the year giving we would appreciate your support.

All donations help! A monthly donation keeps helping all year.
As little as $6 a month makes a difference!

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SSAIC News

We are pleased to announce that SSAIC is a member of the newly created RCMP – Sexual Assault Investigations Review Committees (SAIRC)

The Committees will provide investigative oversight of select RCMP sexual assault investigation files classified as “not cleared by charge” including files classified as ‘unfounded’ to ensure investigations are thorough, impartial and properly classified as well as to identify any systemic barriers and gaps. The Committee will consist on RCMP officers and external members with expertise in direct service to sexual assault survivors.

This Victim Advocate Case Review of police investigated sexual assault files has been actively piloted in many Ontario and Alberta municipal forces for a number of years. The Canadian model was based upon the Philadelphia model designed to address the high number of unfounded sexual assault cases in that community. We are pleased that the RCMP has begun this process and we are pleased to be participating. We think that we can learn about police process at the same time that police members of the committee may learn about the impacts of trauma on victims and how that may manifest in investigations.

Federal Court approves $900M deal to settle Canadian military sexual assault, harassment cases

The Federal Court has approved a $900-million agreement that will settle multiple class-action lawsuits by survivors of sexual harassment and assault in the military. The federal government agreed in July to pay $800 million for members of the Canadian Armed Forces and $100 million for another class of employees of the Department of National Defence to settle six overlapping cases filed in recent years.
Read more …

Survivors Create a List of Catholic Clerics Accused of Sexual Abuse

The list includes names of priest in the London diocese who were charged, convicted or linked to victims that made allegations of being sexually abused as children and successfully sued or settled with the church for amounts over $50,000. This is the link to the full article.

Women And Women’s Advocacy Groups Using their Power

Our Executive Director and General Counsel Megan Stephens (left) and Counsel Lara Kinkartz of WeirFoulds LLP (right) at the Ontario Court of Appeal in R v Sullivan and R v Chan.

We advocated for s. 33. 1 of the Criminal Code to be upheld as constitutional. This section prevents the use of voluntary intoxication as a defence to assault-based offences including sexual assault.

Read about LEAF’s intervention

Contestants at the Miss Peru Pagent Turn the Pagent into a Powerful Gender Violence Protest

Participants in Peru’s Miss Universe Pageant broke with tradition and recited statistics detailing violence against women rather than give their body measurements as they were instructed to do. It is a very moving and powerful act of defiance. Watch it here for yourself:

"Participants in Peru's Miss Universe Pageant broke with tradition and recited statistics detailing violence against…
Posted by Alison Ai Tamara Pope on Thursday, November 2, 2017

Strategies for Survivors This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time of celebration and a chance to reconnect with family and friends, but it can also present challenges for some survivors of sexual assault. Each survivors experience and healing process is unique, however, for some survivors, especially survivors of childhood sexual abuse, holiday gatherings may be difficult. For some survivors holiday gathering many mean returning t locations that bring back painful memories of the abuse or a perhaps make it difficult for them to avoid an abuser.

For many survivors, the large gatherings, lack of control of your sleeping space, and traveling can add anxiety and stress to survivors already struggling with anxiety as a result of the assault. Fortunately they are some ways to help survivors feel safe and self-care strategies that can be used to make this season easier,

Our friends at RAINN have created a great article we can share

Here are some Holidays Tips for us All

Stay in touch with us!

Visit our website and follow us on Facebook for up to date information.

SSAIC Office Christmas Closure

Our office is closed over the holidays at 5 pm on December 23rd until 9 am on January 2nd.
But…. our Crisis Line is available 24/7. If you need to speak to someone please call (306) 244-2224

Happy Holidays from the SSAIC Staff & Board

November 15, 2019 by Virginia Dakiniewich

November 2019 Newsletter

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that happens each year. It is a time when Canadians come together to celebrate generosity and giving.

When survivors of sexual violence bravely reach out to us for help, we want to be there for them and not make them wait. The demand for our counselling services has exceeded our resources. We have been using donations we receive to shrink the wait time between the first call to our office to the first appointment with a counsellor from 7 weeks last year to 4 weeks at this time. But we can do better. We want to be there for survivors when they call. On Giving Tuesday on December 3rd and throughout the Giving Holiday Season we are asking those who support survivors to help us. Please consider a donation to SSAIC.

What’s new at SSAIC?

We are Currently Recruiting for Facilitators for “I’m the Boss of Me” our school-based childhood sexual abuse prevention program.
SSAIC has been fortunate to be able to offer this school based program for over a decade in partnership with the Saskatoon Public Schools and the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Divisions. This program uses teacher lesson plans and an in-school puppet show presentation to deliver information to children in Grade 4 classrooms. Volunteers are recruited from the larger community to deliver the presentation through the puppet show and small group discussion with the children following the show, and trained to help address any disclosures of sexual abuse from children. Find out more ….

Perpetrators of Childhood Sexual Abuse often use grooming behavior as a tactic in abusing children. Learn about grooming and how to spot it if you see it, here

SSAIC is a proud member of Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan (SASS). In May of 2019 SASS released the Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Action Plan. This Plan represents and honors the voices of survivors of sexual violence whose experiences inform 22 proposed Actions.

The 22 Actions will strengthen services, coordination, and prevention, and enable a more comprehensive response to sexual violence.

Please download and share the action plan so that we can all work together to end sexual violence in Saskatchewan and improve services to survivors who have been victims of sexual violence .

SASS Action Plan — **Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Action Plan** – Download

As part of the Action plan SASS also undertook research to garner a comprehensive understanding of sexual violence in Saskatchewan. As part of this research SASS surveyed service providers, communities and survivors to examine instances of sexual assault among individuals in Saskatchewan, the context surrounding the assaults, the services used by sexual assault survivors, and their satisfaction with these services. The survey report is available for download here

SASS Research Report infographic — **Sexual Violence in Saskatchewan: A Survey Research Report (2019) – Download**

The Survey Research Report is a summary of the survey portion of the research. Stay tuned for the release of the full Research Findings Report which includes findings from interviews, focus groups and surveys which will be released at a later date.

A 50-metre long cloth representing The National Residential School Student Death Register – with 2,800 names of children was presented publicly for the first time on a scarlet banner at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. It’s a permanent reminder of fatalities as a result of the government-funded education program that spanned more than 100 years and forcibly removed more than 150,000 Indigenous children from their families.

The registry’s creation is a response to a call from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which presented its findings in 2015 after documenting the legacy of the schools including their goal to indoctrinate children and extensive physical and sexual abuse suffered by thousands of students.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), University of Manitoba a permanent home for documents and statements gathered by the TRC, says the list includes children who died while attending residential school, as well as those who became sick and died in a medical facility or gravely ill children who died after being sent home. The Centre plans to update the memorial register with additional names as they are discovered.

For more information you can explore the website of the NCTR here

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October 8, 2019 by Virginia Dakiniewich

October 2019 Newsletter

Spaces still available: First Responder to Sexual Assault Training™ scheduled for November
First Responder to Sexual Assault Training™ program is designed for professionals and paraprofessionals who may receive a disclosure of sexual abuse/assault as a part of their work with children, youth, and adults, or vulnerable populations including new Canadians and people with disabilities. Facilitated by accredited SSAIC staff, the course explains the impacts of sexual violence throughout a lifetime, the communication skills needed to provide an effective response, and appropriate referral resources.
Learn more about the First Responder training program and upcoming dates here.

Legal News from Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)

The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is a national non-profit organization with a longstanding history dedicated to advancing the equality rights of women by focusing its work on litigation, law reform and public education. Since 1985 leaf has intervened in over 90 cases that advanced the equality of women in Canada. Here are some examples of their work related to violence against women and sexual assault

Leaf welcomes the Supreme Court of Canada’s recognition of the unique challenges raised by sexual assault trials. Read more …

LEAF celebrates Supreme Court of Canada ruling in R. v. Jarvis

In R. v. Jarvis, the Supreme Court considered whether a male high school teacher who secretly filmed his female students’ breasts with a camera pen had violated their “reasonable expectations of privacy” and was therefore guilty of voyeurism. The court ruled that the teacher was guilty of voyeurism addressing the defense arguments upheld at lower court levels that the students had no reasonable expectations of privacy as the students were filmed while there were in public areas. Read more …

Television getting it Right

If you want to see a few great examples of television making history by assisting in increasing the public understanding of the impacts of sexual assault on survivors we would highly recommend:

Grey’s Anatomy Season 15 Episode, Silent All These Years
This episode follows 3 separate story lines related to sexual assault including a patient who was brutally raped being admitted to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The episode illustrates a sensitive and accurate portrayal of the bravery required to undergo a forensic examination preserving evidence of sexual assault. It is a powerful, survivor-centered episode.

Unbelievable
Unbelievable is a new 8 hour mini-series on Netflix that tells the story of Marie, a teenager charged with lying about having been raped before two female detectives uncover a string of assaults eerily similar to hers. It follows the detectives through these investigations.
Here is how an article in Vogue describes the series.

“Unbelievable doesn’t make for easy watching—the show opens with a trigger warning you’ll want to take seriously—but it’s one of the most complex onscreen depictions of sexual assault in recent memory. The violence isn’t gratuitous, the story’s investigative arc is female-driven, and, most importantly, the agonizing question of how to go on living in the wake of sexual violence is treated with care.”

10 New #MeToo Movement Books To Read In Fall 2019

If you are interested in reading as well, here is a fall book list for you.

Our website is full of information and each month we will highlight one article for you. Please click on this link to learn more about the role alcohol and drugs plays in sexual assault.

You can now support us by making a reoccurring donation directly on our website.

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September 9, 2019 by Virginia Dakiniewich

September 2019 Newsletter

We NEED to keep pushing for judicial education on sexual assault
Bill C-337 would ensure lawyers commit to mandatory sexual assault training before becoming federal judges. The bill did not make it past the Senate before the current session ended but all parties have committed to including Bill-337 in their 2019 election platforms.
Meanwhile there is another way to push for access to better justice for survivors; bring the legislation home to your province or territory. Urge your representative to adopt mandatory education on sexual assault for lawyers applying to become provincial or territorial judges. Sign this letter for your representative.

Together we can continue to support survivors of sexual violence and build the gender equality movement in Canada.

Group programming for women starts up again:
Date and Time: September 5, 1:30 – 3:30
You must have completed one intake session with an SSAIC counsellor in order to participate.

September 30 is Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters

SSAIC recognizes the importance of the colonial legacy and the impacts of Residential schools. September 30 was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools.
Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come. Get involved – find out more

June 25, 2019 by Virginia Dakiniewich

SSAIC Newsletter – Charitable Giving Edition

SSAIC can’t wait to go out of business.

75-80% of our clients experience sexualized violence at the hands of someone they know and trust—a family member, a co-worker, a romantic partner…can you imagine the pain and confusion that causes?

As Saskatoon’s major service provider to victims and survivors of sexual violence, we work with clients of all genders to sort through the complex emotions of guilt, shame, and loss of self-esteem, in addition to life-altering consequences like dropping out of school, the inability to continue employment, and the loss of friends or family.

We don’t question the validity of a victim’s claims and we don’t push for the traumatic details. We let the client set the agenda and pace of their unique healing process.

The work is sometimes heartbreaking, but our clients are eternally courageous and healing is absolutely possible.

At SSAIC we hope for the day our services are no longer necessary, but until then we are proud to contribute our skills and hearts to the cause.

YOU can be a part of this important and transformative experience by supporting SSAIC with an online donation today. Below are three options for support; choose the one that suits you best, and please know that our Centre is made stronger with the support of community-minded individuals like you.

JOIN US! We believe survivors. We support survivors. And we advocate for change. YOU can help to make this possible by making a donation today.

The Great Canadian Giving Challenge is over on Sunday, June 30. That means you have only a few more days to make a donation to SSAIC (receiptable!) through Canada Helps.

Every dollar you donate (minimum $3 donation) enters SSAIC in a chance to win at $10K cash prize.

As SSAIC is running a deficit budget for the second year in a row, $10,000 would do a lot to help offset the lack of core funding.

Love SSAIC and want to support us with a regular donation?

You can create a recurring monthly donation through our website giving portal. All donations are eligible for a tax receipt.

SAVE THE DATE: Our 16th annual Luncheon en Vogue will be Friday, October 18 at TCU Place from 10:45 – 1:15.

The Luncheon en Vogue is SSAIC’s only annual fundraising event.

Tickets are $65 each or $520 for a table of 8. and available for purchase through our website. The 2019 Luncheon en Vogue will feature our signature police model fashion show, silent auction, 50-50, great food, and of course a lot of fun. The keynote speech this year will be delivered by Saskatoon’s men’s mental health advocate, and former SSAIC client, Allan Kehler. Invite a friend or 7 and get your tickets today!

Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre

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