CW: Sexual Assault and Violence. If you need assistance, the WAVAW Crisis Line provides immediate emotional support 24 hours a day at 604-255-6344 or Toll-Free at 1-877-392-7583.
January is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) at UBC (see link for upcoming events). We take this time to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault, share information on available resources, and encourage people to take action to prevent sexualized violence.
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) will be partnering with SFU on providing engagement opportunities in January. Keep an eye on the SAAM website for updates to their calendar of events.
Support and Services at UBC:
- The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) is a confidential place for those who have experienced, or been impacted by, any form of sexual or gender-based violence, harassment, or harm, regardless of where or when it took place. All genders and sexualities are welcome. Currently services are only available online or over the phone. You can call them at 604-822-1588 or email them at svpro.vancouver@ubc.ca.
- AMS Sexual Assault Support Center is committed to the education, support, and empowerment of people of all genders who are survivors of sexualized violence, as well as their friends and family. If you need help or want to talk to someone, they can be contacted at 604-872-5180 or sasc@ams.ubc.ca
- UBC Safewalk provides a way to get from one point on campus to another, safely, after dark. Their walking teams mean you don’t have to walk alone. Measures are in place to follow COVID-19 regulations to keep everyone safe.
- S.A.R.A. (Sexual Assault & Rape Awareness) is an on-campus, student-led prevention campaign that promotes healthy, consensual sexual activity and educates the campus community to be an active bystander and stand up against rape culture.
Educational Resources:
- UBC Student Services: How to create consent culture
- UBC Student Services: How you can prevent sexual violence in our community
- SFU’s Sexual Violence Support & Prevention Office: Blog posts on consent
Support Services for Survivors:
- WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre: offers trauma-informed feminist support to survivors of sexualized violence. Their services are open to cis and trans women and people of all marginalized genders, including Two-Spirit, trans, and non-binary people.
- Fraser Health Sexual Assault and Violence Resources: provides resources to learn how to get help, the process for reporting incidents to the police, aftercare, and information about forensic nursing services.
- BC Women’s Sexual Assault Service: provides care to anyone 13 years or older who has been sexually assaulted within the past 7 days.
- Rape Victim’s Support Network: provides peer counselling and practical help, including advocacy and referrals, to those victimized by rape.
- Battered Women’s Support Services: provides education, advocacy, and support services to assist all women with the aim to work towards the elimination of violence and to work from a feminist perspective that promotes equality for all women.