April 23, 2018 by Virginia Dakiniewich

SSAIC’s April 2018 Consent Café

April, 2018

More comprehensive sex ed programs can help put an end to America’s culture of sexual assault: sex ed needs to be more than just “the birds and the bees.”

Nicole Cushman, Executive Director of AMAZE, says sex ed might be the answer to America’s (and by extension, Canada’s) sexual assault problem. This op-ed video articulates the need for quality sex education from an early age. Children need to understand the issues of consent, healthy relationships and boundaries to put an end to the culture of rape and sexual assault. Nicole Cushman says AMAZE is “fixing the patchwork” of sex education across America by taking their message online in engaging, age-appropriate sex education resources for youth.

Childbirth a challenge for sexual assault survivors, but two Regina women are working to change that

Childbirth can be the most wonderful experience in a woman’s life. For survivors of sexual abuse, birth can trigger feelings of loss of control over one’s own body and buried trauma. Negative maternal experiences are not acknowledged due to society’s insistence on ideal birth and motherhood scenarios. Two Regina women are working to address the gaps in education and public conversation with tools and resources for survivors.

Why Sexual Assault Survivors Stay Quiet

This comic by Jim C. Hines deftly skewers the double standard directed towards survivors and illustrates the no-win situation many face when they report the crime. Staying silent means the issue is not addressed and speaking out results in blame and disbelief levelled at survivors.

When is it not our fault?

The culture of blame and shame ~ society’s negative attitudes towards women and sexual assault.

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May 12, 2017 by Megan Evans

Never Blame the Victim Campaign Kit

Never Blame the Victim Key Messages:

The province of Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon have declared May 15-19, 2017 as Sexual Assault Awareness Week.

Evidence shows that fewer than 9 out of 10 sexual assaults are unreported to police. These proclamations by the city and province take a stand with an ongoing commitment to public education and awareness of sexual violence.

The YWCA Canada creative campaign “Never Blame the Victim” draws attention to the ways in which survivors of sexual violence are subjected to judgment instead of support.

Instead of accusing the survivor of provocative actions, the blame for sexual violence rightly lies solely with the perpetrator. There is still much work to be done to adequately support survivors in healing and to create an environment where sexual assault is understood as unacceptable in all circumstances.

The Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre (SSAIC) and YWCA Saskatoon endeavor to support women who are survivors of sexual violence by providing free resources for those who need them.

SSAIC offers free counselling to survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones, public education, and a 24-hour crisis and information line for survivors of sexual violence.

YWCA Saskatoon provides a first come, first served crisis shelter for women and children who need a safe place to stay, along with confidential counselling and wrap-around supports and referrals.

Resource Pages:

Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre Resources

YWCA Saskatoon emergency shelter resources

Videos:

YWCA Canada Never Blame the Victim “Burden”

YWCA Canada Never Blame the Victim “All Legs”

YWCA Canada Never Blame the Victim “Sexy Top”

Facebook & Twitter Tools:

Facebook/Twitter page cover (right-click to download)

Facebook/Twitter profile picture (right-click to download)

May 12, 2017 by Megan Evans

Never Blame the Victim: Taking a Stand Against Sexual Assault

May 11, 2017

Province of Saskatchewan and City of Saskatoon declare Sexual Assault Awareness Week

Saskatoon, Sk—The province of Saskatchewan and City of Saskatoon have declared May 15-18, 2017 Sexual Assault Awareness Week (SAAW) 2017.

The awareness campaign is promoted jointly by partner organizations Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre (SSAIC) and YWCA Saskatoon. At the heart of their message is a powerful reminder to “Never Blame the Victim.”

“Victim blaming, whether it comes from family, friends, or society is a huge barrier to survivors of sexual violence feeling safe to come forward,” says SSAIC Executive Director Faye Davis. “We really want to drive home the point that regardless of the circumstances, the blame lies squarely with the perpetrator. It’s not about what the victim wore or drank or if there was a flirtation. The perpetrator made the choice to rape because they felt entitled to do so. They alone bear the responsibility and should solely bear the blame.”

The “Never Blame the Victim” campaign created by YWCA Canada draws attention to the ways in which survivors of sexual violence are subjected to judgement instead of support. There is still much work to be done to adequately support survivors in healing, and to create an environment where sexual assault is understood as unacceptable in all circumstances.

“Confidentiality and non-judgemental individual support are incredibly important. When women access YWCA Saskatoon services through our crisis shelter, they get a safe place to stay, counselling, support, and access to a network of wrap-around services. We provide shelter on a first, come, first served basis for women and for their children,” explains Shannon Zook, YWCA Saskatoon CEO.

About Sexual Assault Awareness Week:

Our goal for Sexual Assault Awareness Week 2017 is to raise awareness in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan about the unacceptable victim blaming survivors of sexual violence experience, and to highlight the existing programs and services available to individuals who have encountered sexual violence.

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About the Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre:

The Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre exists to contend with sexual violence and its effects on individuals and the community, by providing support, education, and prevention services. SSAIC offers services to survivors of sexual abuse of all genders. For more information visit www.saskatoonsexualassaultcentre.com , follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SSAIC1/

About YWCA Saskatoon:

YWCA Saskatoon works in Saskatoon and area to provide emergent and preventative services for women and their families, including crisis shelter, supportive living, employment services, quality child care, and accessible fitness. YWCA Saskatoon is a member of YWCA Canada, the nation’s largest provider of shelter to women and children fleeing violence, and the oldest and largest multi-service women’s organization. For more information visit www.ywcasaskatoon.com, find us on Twitter at @YWCASaskatoon or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ywcasaskatoon.

For information about the Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre or to schedule an interview, contact:

Megan Evans

Communications Advisor

306-216-5125

communications.ssaic@sasktel.net

For information about YWCA Saskatoon or to schedule an interview, contact:

Joy-Ann Allin

Director of Development & Communications

YWCA Saskatoon

306-244-7034 ext 132

jallin@ywcasaskatoon.com

August 30, 2016 by Megan Evans

SSAIC’s August Reading List

Welcome! Each month, we will curate a collection of videos, memes, books, articles, and other resources related to sexual violence. Check out our August selection:

The University of Colorado Survivor’s Letter

This victim impact statement explains all the ways her life has been altered by her sexual assault, including the financial costs. (The sentence the perpetrator received will make you cringe at the injustice.)

A video parody of victim-blaming logic

There have been a few good videos making comparisons between various crimes and sexual assault. This one is particularly share-worthy.

Good news from the Queens Bench in Edmonton

“The acquittal of a 15-year-old boy accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl has been overturned by an Edmonton Court’s Bench justice who said the provincial youth court judge in the trial used ‘myths and stereotypes about sexual assault victims’ to inform his decision.”

A Guilty Verdict in a Sexual Assault Case out of Toronto

In a scathing indictment of a sexual assault perpetrator, Judge Zuker said in his ruling that he did not believe the defendant’s testimony, describing it as a “feeble attempt in hindsight” to clear his name. “I stress his version is without reality. It never, never happened,” Zuker said. “It was a joke. A fabrication. I must and do reject his evidence.”

July 27, 2016 by Megan Evans

SSAIC’s July Reading List

Welcome! Each month, we will curate a collection of videos, memes, books, articles, and other resources related to sexual violence. Check out our July selection:

The Mask You Live In

From the documentary team that brought us Miss Representation in 2011, “The Mask You Live In follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America’s narrow definition of masculinity.” A must-see for anyone interested in the correlation between gender stereotypes, expectations, and the toxic masculinity we see in North American culture. See more at The Representation Project. Currently streaming on Netflix.

A video that skewers victim-blaming logic

Replace the word “rape” with “murder” and suddenly, victim blaming is incredibly problematic. These stick figures make a compelling argument.

Huffington Post’s profile piece on Rio Olympic Hopeful Kayla Harrison

“…Harrison is entering the 2016 Games knowing that even bigger pursuits will follow. The next chapter of her journey will be off the mat, as she works to erase the stigma of being a sexual abuse survivor, attacking the issue through both public education and the creation of a foundation that connects and empowers fellow survivors.” Read the full piece here.

And finally, some good news!

It’s been a difficult few weeks in headline news, but there is still good happening in the world. Apple’s response to a March report which stated that the digital assistant was unprepared to help victims of sexual violence was swift–and awesome! The tech giant partnered with RAINN.Org, in order to make Siri a sensitive first-responder. We tried it out this morning and it works! Remember: RAINN is an American resource, but their site is an incredible wealth of information.