Component: Victim Services

Legislation: Ministry of Community and Social Services Act

Service description

The Province provides funding to the Recipient for the Sexual Assault Centre (SAC) Program. This community-based program provides crisis support and intervention services to victims/survivors of sexual violence, their families, partners, and friends.

People served

The Sexual Assault Centre Program provides support and services to survivors of sexual violence who are sixteen (16) years and older, as well as to their family members, non-offending partners and friends.

Program / service features

A SAC is a safe place in the community where those who identify as women, non- binary, Two Spirit, genderqueer and intersex who have experienced sexual violence (hereinafter “survivors”) can get free, confidential and immediate support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The model used by each Recipient to deliver the Sexual Assault Centre Program services/activities listed in section 4 varies across the province in order to respond to the diverse demographics of each community.

Specific service provided

The Recipient is responsible for the delivery of Sexual Assault Centre Program services/activities to Clients living in the catchment area.

Counselling and peer support

The Recipient will provide face-to-face counselling by staff and peer support by volunteers to provide guidance and support to survivors and assist them in responding to their own situation.

Counselling and support provided by the Recipient may be provided one-on-one or in a group session format.

Outreach and public education

The Recipient will participate in education activities directed at the general public or special sectors. The purpose of public education is to inform the public about the Sexual Assault Centre Program and to provide information about sexual violence, including challenging the myths and misconceptions that exist in society with regard to sexual violence.

Public education activities may include public speaking engagements, provision of training workshops to other professionals, presentations, response to media requests, publications, and participation at events such as Take Back the Night, International Women's Day, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, etc.

Public education may be accomplished in several ways including

  • The development and dissemination of literature, pamphlets, posters, websites, etc.
  • Public accessibility to Sexual Assault Centre Program resource libraries
  • Awareness campaigns in conjunction with local school boards, universities and colleges
  • Presentations to community groups

Advocacy and accompaniment

  • Advocacy: The Recipient will assist survivors with matters pertaining to medical, legal, and social services. Advocacy may include writing correspondence, filling out forms and making calls on behalf of survivors, including advocacy for service/programs
  • Accompaniment: Upon request, the Recipient's staff/volunteers may accompany a survivor to other places where services are provided. These places may include hospitals, police stations, court services, medical and psychiatric clinics, abortion counselling services, HIV/AIDS clinics, immigration and housing programs or other social services

Information and referral services

The Recipient will maintain up-to-date resource materials and information on issues related to sexual violence and on other community support services. The Recipient will also assist survivors by coordinating referrals to other services.

Practical assistance

The Recipient will provide practical assistance to survivors based on individual need. Practical assistance may be provided in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, the provision of clothing, transportation, childcare, food, etc.

Community liaison/development

The Recipient will participate in activities to build cooperative and mutually supportive relationships with other community groups and organizations. Community liaison/development activities may include such things as networking, involvement with local community and provincial coordinating committees, development of local protocols with key services (e.g., V/WAP, VCAO), and identification of gaps in service.

24-hour crisis and support telephone line

The Recipient will be accessible to survivors by telephone and/or TTY, to provide support and/or intervention in response to a caller's immediate needs. Service is to be available on a full-time basis, 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. In some areas, Crisis Line support may be coordinated through a shared regional call centre.

Training

The Recipient will ensure that staff and volunteers who provide direct services are appropriately trained and supervised and have the requisite skills and expertise to respond to the needs of survivors of sexual violence.

Program goals

  • The goals of the Sexual Assault Centre Program are to
  • Enhance survivor safety
  • Increase survivors' level of empowerment

Ministry expectations

Reporting requirements

Service data on ministry funded expenditures will be reported on at an Interim and Final stage. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.

Quarterly service data will be reported through supplemental reports to the ministry.

Service data name Definition

Ministry-funded Agency Expenditures: Sexual Assault Centre (SAC)

Total ministry-funded expenses for the Transfer Payment Recipient to administer and/or deliver the Sexual Assault Centre program in the reporting year (cumulative).