Supporting Survivors of Sexualized Violence Training™

Course Overview

Supporting Survivors of Sexualized Violence Training™ is a trauma-informed educational program designed to help participants respond to disclosures of sexualized violence with empathy, confidence, and care. This training recognizes that survivors may disclose to friends, family members, coworkers, service providers, educators, and community members — not only to therapists.

This training equips everyday people and professionals with the knowledge, language, and skills needed to support survivors safely, respectfully, and without causing further harm.

Through a combination of lecture, small group work, and opportunities to practice new skills, participants will gain a deeper understanding of sexualized violence, its impacts on individuals and communities, and how social attitudes such as rape myths and victim-blaming shape survivors’ experiences. Emphasis is placed on trauma-informed communication, nervous system awareness, survivor-centred support, and connecting survivors to appropriate next steps and resources.

This training is appropriate for any of the following:

  • Professionals who work with survivors (e.g., counsellors, social workers, police officers, lawyers, nurses, doctors)
  • Professionals who may come across survivors in their work (e.g., social services, education, healthcare, justice, community organizations)
  • Volunteers and survivor advocates
  • Friends, family members, and partners of survivors
  • Survivors who want to better understand trauma responses and support others
  • Anyone who wants to become a safer, more informed, and more supportive person

No prior training or professional background is required.

What You Will Learn

  1. Trauma-Informed Communication Skills
    • The 4 C’s of trauma-informed communication
    • Active listening skills in a trauma context
    • Empathy and the 4 pillars of empathy
    • Recognizing how tone, body language, and word choice communicate safety or judgment
    • Shifting from victim-blaming language to supportive language
  2. Understanding Sexualized Violence
    • Definitions of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment
    • Grooming: stages, tactics, and how perpetrators maintain control
    • Consent in Canada: Age of consent, close-in-age exceptions, and legal elements of consent
    • Rape myths and victim-blaming
    • Rape culture and the continuum of harm
    • How harmful language and media narratives impact survivors
  3. Trauma & the Nervous System
    • The autonomic nervous system (ANS)
    • Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses
    • Triggers, flashbacks, and the window of tolerance
    • Impacts of sexualized violence
    • Intersectionality and how identity affects vulnerability, access to support, and healing
    • Intergenerational trauma and secondary survivors
  4. Supporting Survivors of Sexualized Violence
    • Grounding and regulation strategies
    • Key supportive messages during disclosure
    • Do’s and don’ts when responding to survivors
    • Case scenarios involving youth, adults, friends, and ongoing professional relationships
  5. Next Steps & Resources
    • The three pillars of support: Reporting options and what to expect in the justice process, medical options and forensic kit information, and mental and emotional healing options
    • Duty to report child sexual abuse
    • Local resources in Saskatoon

Included With The Course

  • Printed participant workbook
  • Eligibility for six (6) CE hours under most regulatory bodies. Check with your regulatory body to ensure SST qualifies for your professional requirements
  • Certificate of completion signed by the SSAIC facilitator(s)

Virtual Training Dates

Wednesday, September 16th, 2026 (9am – 4pm CST)

Wednesday, November 18th, 2026 (9am – 4pm CST)

Cost: $190 per person

In-Person Training Dates

Wednesday, June 24th (9am – 4pm) @ Black Atlas Training, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Cost: $250 per person (includes refreshments throughout the day and a printed Participant Workbook)

Thank-you to Black Atlas Training for partnering with us to host SST in-person!

Private Trainings

SST is available to private employee or organizational groups as capacity allows. Interested groups are responsible for securing a venue should they prefer an in-person training. Cost is fixed for a group, but a sliding scale option is available for nonprofit or small organizations:

Private Group Cost: $5,000

Please contact us with any questions, concerns, or to inquire about a private group training.