March 16, 2020

Dear Friends,

For more than 30 years our Centre has wrapped survivors of sexual violence in community care. Our motto has always been you are not alone. As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re committed to continuing to live this out.

In this time of uncertainty, we realize that survivors of sexual violence need our support more than ever. With this in mind, we’re doubling our capacity to respond to survivors on our 24-Hour Support Line. You can reach us any time of the day or night at (519) 741-8633. A trained and caring member of our team will respond; our volunteers and staff will be working in collaboration to ensure support is there when you reach out.

In order to ensure the well-being of survivors, our team members, and our community more broadly, our Centre is implementing the following changes, effective March 17, 2020:

Our office is closed to the public until it’s safe to re-open. Our staff team will be working remotely whenever possible to ensure the continuation of our services.

• Phones and emails will be monitored during our regular office hours which are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• For office matters, you can contact us at 519-571-0121 or email info@sascwr.org. If it’s necessary to leave a message, a member of our team will get back to you promptly.

The following programs will move to an online and/or teleservice (Zoom) model. Staff members from each program area will be in touch with our clients to arrange details for:

• ​individual counselling
• support with family court planning and navigation
• support for survivors of exploitation/trafficking
  

While in-person group and workshops have been suspended, we will soon be offering online workshops (via Zoom) for survivors. Necessity is the mother of invention! More information about these workshops will be posted on our website and on social media soon.

We’re committed to implementing new and innovative ways to continue our long history of caring for survivors in Waterloo Region.

Much like all of you, we’ll continue to monitor this situation closely; if changes are required, we’ll post updates. Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@SASCWR) or visit our website at sascwr.org for the most up to date information.

I believe an attitude of gratitude can be transformational during challenging times. Today I’m grateful for the community that surrounds us. I’m grateful for our volunteers, picking up extra shifts on our 24-Hour Support Line. I’m grateful for colleagues that voluntarily forfeit vacation to help with pandemic planning. I’m grateful to be part of a team that would move heaven and earth to ensure our services continue to exist. I’m grateful for a Board of Directors, who sincerely cares about our mission and the wellness of our team. I’m grateful for our donors, who demonstrate their solidarity in such a tangible way.

You are not alone…and neither are we.  

I wish everyone good health and well-being during this time. For local updates, and for tips on how to protect yourself from COVID-19, please visit: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19
 
Sincerely,
Sara Casselman
Executive Director
Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region

SASC would like to extend our sincere appreciation to United Way Waterloo Region Communities, and to their wonderful donors, for their Forever Fund Grant to our Anti-Human Trafficking Program. This grant of $15,000 enriches our anti-human trafficking program and increases our ability to support youth affected by this issue. Thank you, United Way!
To learn about our Anti-Human Trafficking Program, visit sascwr.org/ahtp
To learn about United Way Waterloo Region Communities, check out: uwaywrc.ca​

This week in Waterloo Region, a 20-year-old woman was convicted of trafficking a 15-year-old girl for sex. In the first 8 months of 2019, 75 cases were being investigated by Waterloo Regional Police. It is widely understood that most cases are never reported. The average age of victims is 12 to 15. Ninety-three percent are female. Accessed through technology and driven by demand and profit, our children and young people are easy targets for traffickers. Human sex trafficking is the sale of humans for sex. It involves deceit, force, coercion and control of a person by threats of emotional, mental and sometimes physical violence for sexual exploitation and forced commercial sex. Awareness is the first step towards action.