Everyone can make a difference!
Not everyone has the time to volunteer or the funds to donate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference for sexualized violence survivors.
What does “being an ally” mean?
At SSAIC, we believe that anyone can be an ally, and that survivors need allies everywhere in order to end sexualized violence and rape culture in our communities.
noun, al-ahy
- one that is associated with another as a helper; a person that provides assistance and support in an ongoing effort, activity, or struggle
- not merely a helper; holding a common interest of those you’re trying to help
Allyship can encompass:
- Taking on another’s struggle as your own
- Transferring the benefits of your privilege to those who lack it
- Amplifying the voices of the oppressed before your own
- Standing up, even when you feel scared
- Understanding that your education is up to you, and no one else
Some examples of what allyship looks like:
- Learning about trauma symptoms, rape culture, and survivor stories
- Challenge your own discomfort and prejudices (P.S. we all have these!)
- Own the mistakes you’ve made (e.g. rape myths you’ve believed, victim blaming you’ve perpetuated) and learn about what you don’t yet know or understand
- Correct misinformation or perpetuation of rape culture within your groups (family, friends, coworkers)
- Actively support services for survivors
Some examples of what allyship sounds like:
- “I don’t understand your pain, but I stand with you.”
- “I apologize for the harm I caused by __________.”
- “Wow, I didn’t realize my words/actions had that impact.”
- “We can get through this together.”
- “That’s actually a myth.”
- “According to survivors…”
- “I don’t think I know enough about that yet. I need to learn.”
You may already be an ally without realizing! Here are some criteria of strong allies:
- Compassion is key
- Listen, even if it’s painful for you
- Be aware of space and touch
- Validate that their trauma is real
- Reassure them that you’re there for them
- Don’t reach for more details than the survivor wants to give
- Understand the weight of asking for help
- Don’t judge their reactions or behaviours
- Do not assume reporting is the next step for them
- Respect their confidentiality, but seek support for yourself if you need
Here are some tangible ways to align yourself with SSAIC’s philosophy & show your allyship:
- Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on sexualized violence news, SSAIC updates, and ways to support survivors
- Educate yourself about all things sexualized violence (check out our Learning & Resources page to get started!)
- Learn about rape myths and correct misconceptions when they come up in your daily life
- Choose not to support pop culture or jokes that glamourize sexualized or gender-based violence
- Learn about gender stereotypes and the culture of toxic masculinity that contribute to rape culture
- Be aware of the ways that news and popular media representations of sexual assault perpetuate rape myths and promote victim blaming
- Understand the barriers to reporting sexual assault
- Educate yourself about the realities of human trafficking in Canada
- Learn about the issues sex workers face and support legislation to protect sex workers in Canada
- Email your local MLA and/or the Saskatchewan Minister of Justice and tell them you support increased funding for SSAIC and other services for survivors of sexual assault
- Like us on Facebook & Instagram and share our information with your friends
- Look for opportunities to give to local charities that support survivors (donate, volunteer your time, purchase their wishlist items, etc.)
You can always show your allyship by donating to SSAIC – every donation makes a difference!
