SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION, EDUCATION and RESPONSEE
Community Resources
You may be able to find the support you need from these local, provincial and national resources.
Relationship violence support services
The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters operates a 24/7 shelter hotline that connects a caller to the closest shelter. The shelters can provide crisis support on the phone, referrals to resources, safety planning, as well as information on how to access the shelter if this is what a caller is looking for.
The Family Violence Info Line is a 24-hour toll-free helpline in Alberta for anyone experiencing family violence or abuse, or who knows someone that has questions about family violence. It offers phone, text, and online chat options.
The Today Centre is a safe place for people of all genders who are affected by family violence. The Centre provides short-term support including:
- assessing risk factors
- safety planning
- assessing immediate needs
- emotional support
- education on the impact of family violence
- supported referrals
Today Centre also provides services to agencies and the general public who need help in supporting someone who discloses family violence.
Counselling services
The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton is a non-profit organization that supports children, adolescents and adults who have experienced sexual abuse or assault, and educates the public about sexual violence. They offer free, confidential counselling to individuals of all genders aged three years and over. SACE also provides a support and information line and free counselling from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for anyone affected by sexual violence.
Located in Sherwood Park, Saffron Centre provides counselling services to persons who have suffered from sexual assault, abuse and sexual violence, as well as people who are supporting those affected by sexual violence.
The YWCA Counselling Centre offers individual counselling on a fee-for-service basis that ensures access for everyone. Psychologists have expertise with many areas, including intimate partner violence healing and safety planning, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.
Technology-facilitated sexual violence support services
Need Help Now is a website that provides information to those who have been negatively impacted by non-consensual photo/video sharing. This includes practical information on removing pictures, dealing with on-line blackmail and reporting to authorities.
Legal and reporting services
Edmonton Police may be able to provide an individual with legal protection from the person responsible for the sexual violence and conduct an investigation for prosecution. A person may report to the police without pressing charges, or in an effort to pursue charges under the Criminal Code of Canada.
The Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Violence project provides free legal advice to survivors of sexual violence. A team of lawyers provides this advice, and each survivor is entitled to up to four hours of legal advice, as well as attendance at legal clinics. This service is open to adults (18+) of any gender who live in Alberta and experienced sexual violence in Alberta.
Alberta’s updated Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act defines harassment and violence, including sexual violence and domestic violence, as workplace hazards. The OHS Act requires employers to investigate incidents of violence and harassment and take corrective action, which may include preventative and educational initiatives. Learn more about the Act and how it defines harassment and violence.
The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) offers a Police and Court Support Program designed to help people who have experienced sexual violence through the process of making a police report or going to court, whether they are a client at SACE or not.
The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) partnered with the Centre for Public Legal Information Alberta (CPLEA) and Elizabeth Fry Society to create a series of downloadable resources on legal responses to sexual violence.
LGBTQ2S+ support services
CHEW provides frontline support, resources, and education for 2SLGBTQ+ youth and young adults (ages 14 to 29) facing barriers. These barriers may include mental health, violence, poverty, homelessness, substance use, sexual health, sexual exploitation/sex work, and others. We provide a safe place for youth to get basic needs, get off the street, and find hope.
The Pride Centre offers a library, peer counselling, community groups, advocacy and resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning individuals.
Trans Lifeline is a grassroots peer support phone service offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis—for the trans community, by the trans community.
Medical services
SART is a team of nurses who are trained to provide medical care and examinations to people who have been sexually assaulted in the last seven days. SART nurses provide the option of collecting of forensic evidence. This service is provided with or without police involvement.
SART can be accessed 24/7 at any hospital emergency room in Edmonton by telling triage that you’ve been sexually assaulted and/or that you’d like to see a SART nurse.
The STI clinic provides free, confidential testing and treatment for STIs, pregnancy testing and emergency contraception. Call 811 for 24/7 STI and health advice. The STI clinic operates out of several locations in Edmonton, including a downtown location at the Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre.
Women’s Health Options provides reproductive health care services, including emergency contraception IUD insertion, abortion care and counselling, birth control counselling and access, and STI testing.
Support phone lines
Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence is a toll-free talk, text, and chat service that provides emotional support, information, and referral to anyone who has experienced or been impacted by sexual violence.
The Distress Line is a confidential, anonymous 24-hour telephone line that provides crisis support and referrals for people experiencing distress.