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The initiative is bolstered by a $561,000 grant from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) as part of a commitment to invest up to $100 million in 163 projects aimed at enhancing economic and leadership opportunities for women across Canada.
January 9, 2025 - [Waterloo, ON] – The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) and Accelerator Centre (AC) are proud to announce our new groundbreaking partnership, made possible through the financial support of Women and Gender Equality Canada’s (WAGE) Women’s Program, to break down barriers for women and gender diverse individuals in STEM fields and entrepreneurship. This partnership will leverage SASC's expansion of the #RaiseTheBar Training by launching its Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) program and the Accelerator Centre's new AC:Incubate+ framework to provide mentorship, education, and actionable tools for women and gender-diverse individuals in STEM and entrepreneurship. By addressing systemic workplace barriers such as ineffective policy, burnout culture, gendered distribution of labour, and workplace harassment, the partnership aims to create more equitable environments, empowering participants to advance their careers and drive systemic change in their fields. The economic and social benefits of diversity in leadership and STEM fields are clear. Research indicates that companies with diverse leadership are 25% more likely to outperform their peers and experience enhanced innovation and profitability. Despite this, women make up just 29% of the STEM workforce globally and, in Canada, only 17% of all private sector businesses were majority-owned by women. This unique collaboration merges SASC's expertise in fostering social change and creating equitable workplaces with the AC's award-winning programs for early-stage technology companies, amplifying the reach and impact of both organizations. Expanding Proven Programs to Remove Systemic Barriers Through this collaboration:
“We are thrilled to partner with SASC on this important collaboration. At the AC, we believe that fostering innovation starts with fostering inclusion. Women and gender-diverse individuals are key to Canada’s tech ecosystem, both as founders and employees, but systemic barriers still limit their opportunities. Thanks to funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada, this initiative will support more women and gender-diverse individuals as they launch and grow businesses while shaping inclusive workplaces for the future of Canadian tech,” Tabatha Laverty, VP of Marketing and External Relations, AC. “True gender equity in the workplace demands more than policies. It requires dismantling ingrained biases and inequitable structures. At SASC, we want to be part of transforming workplace cultures by fostering environments where equity is embedded in leadership practices, policies, and daily interactions. This partnership is about shifting leadership culture so that women and gender-diverse individuals are genuinely valued, supported, and empowered to lead. By building workplaces where inclusion and equity are the foundation, we create spaces where everyone can thrive, and sexual harassment has no place,” Sara Casselman, Executive Director, SASC. “Lasting change happens when we all come together—governments, schools, organizations, and industries—to make sure women and gender-diverse people also have the support they need to lead and thrive. By working with the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region and the Accelerator Centre, our government is helping break down barriers in STEM and entrepreneurship so that more people have real opportunities to succeed and contribute to the growth and strength of our economy.” Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, Ontario. Join the Movement With the generous support of WAGE, both the AC:Incubate+ Program of AC:Incubate and the Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) Program of Raise the Bar programs will be made available free of charge. Applications for the AC:Incubate+ Program of AC:Incubate are open from January 9 to January 23, 2025, with programming beginning in February 2025. Apply here. Organizations interested in participating in the Raise the Bar program can stay tuned for application details in the coming weeks. About Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region For 35 years, the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) has wrapped survivors of sexual violence in community care, offering counselling, court support, advocacy, and more. In addition to our direct services for survivors, SASC’s Public Education Program works to create social change by developing and providing curriculum, workshops, and resource materials to schools, professionals, organizations, and the community. SASC empowers individuals and workplaces to prevent and address gender-based violence. To learn more, visit www.sascwr.org. Accelerator Centre At the AC, we exist to help ambitious dreamers impact global change through their businesses. The AC is ranked among the World's Top 5 private business accelerators by UBI Global. We offer an extensive selection of customizable opportunities for startups across Canada—allowing founders to rapidly bring their innovation to life. We work with our global partners to bolster the innovation ecosystem in Waterloo and beyond. Learn more at acceleratorcentre.com. Acknowledgement of Funding This project has been funded through Women and Gender Equality Canada's Women's Program.
For additional information about this release, please contact
 Pictured (left to right): Rangers Reach’s Craig Campbell and, from the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, Development Coordinator Ashley Shaw, Male Allies Educator Landon Kenney, and Communications Coordinator Esther Obaje.
We’re thrilled to announce that Rangers Reach and the Kitchener Rangers are continuing their incredible support with a $50,000 gift to expand our Leading by Example sports training program. Since 2008, SASC has been dedicated to working with young athletes through our Public Education and Male Allyship Programs. In 2016, we partnered with the Ontario Hockey League to co-develop OHL Onside, and we've been delivering impactful training sessions to OHL teams ever since. In 2022/2023, Hockey Canada commissioned SASC to conduct over 25 training sessions for their teams' athletes, coaches, and administrators. Most recently, in 2023, the Canadian Olympic Committee invited us to collaborate on their Safe Sport visioning session. This generous gift from Rangers Reach will enable us to expand our program within Waterloo Region and engage more youth athletes in meaningful conversations around consent, healthy relationships, positive masculinity, and leadership. These discussions help cultivate a culture of respect, equity, and accountability — both on and off the ice. Calling all sports teams in Waterloo Region! If you’re interested in getting your athletes involved, please reach out to our Public Education Manager at [email protected]. Visit www.sascwr.org/athletics to learn more about our Leading by Example Sports Program for youth athletes. We’re proud to announce that SASC has been awarded $10,161 through the 2024 Libro Annual Grants Program to support our Housing Stability Project in our Anti-Human Trafficking Program. This grant from Libro Credit Union will help us provide safe, adequate, and affordable housing for survivors, addressing a critical need in the Waterloo Region. “We’re grateful for Libro’s support and honoured to be among the recipients of the 2024 Annual Grant,” said Sara Casselman, Executive Director. “This funding supports our housing initiatives, providing survivors with a safe foundation to heal and rebuild their lives.’’ As one of the selected recipients, SASC joins other organizations across southwestern Ontario working in areas such as employment, housing, financial resilience, and local food accessibility. Other notable recipients in our community include Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region and Shelter Movers Southwestern Ontario. This partnership with Libro Credit Union underscores a shared commitment to fostering community well-being and safety. For more information on our Anti-Human Trafficking Program, please visit www.sascwr.org/ahtp.   On December 6th, 2024 — the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women — SASC is honoured to host the book launch of And Sometimes They Kill You by Pamela Cross, in collaboration with Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.
Pamela Cross is a renowned feminist lawyer and one of Canada’s leading voices on violence against women. Join us for a compelling discussion and a profound opportunity to hear Pamela’s insights and stories from her book. Secure your seat now, as space is limited. Scan the code above or click here to register! Together, let’s deepen our understanding and strengthen our resolve to end violence against women.  Recently, a national discussion has been developing online and in the media regarding sexual violence within sports organizations, most notably Hockey Canada.
As a Sexual Assault Support Centre, we stand with all survivors of sexual violence, including those who have experienced harm by athletes. We know serious problems exist at the root of sports culture that too often result in sexual violence. These problems include:
These problems culminate in what is termed rape culture. It is a fact that the harm caused by rape culture in sports organizations and our broader communities predominately impacts women, girls, and gender-diverse people. And because sexism, racism, and colonialism intersect, Black, Indigenous, and racialized women and girls are at even greater risk of being harmed. Sports organizations and athletes must address the issue of sexual violence in sports to build safer communities for all. Knowing this, working with athletes has been a focus of our Male Allies Program since 2008. Our Leading by Example training supports athletes in becoming community champions in areas such as healthy masculinity and consent. In 2016, we co-created a curriculum for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) called OHL Onside, and we have been involved in training OHL players since that time. Due to our experience educating for social change within sports organizations, Hockey Canada recently contacted our Public Education team. They requested specialized training for athletes, team staff and Hockey Canada staff in Calgary over the course of the summer. (Read more in their Action Plan.) To support the delivery of Leading by Example workshops, SASC reached out in partnership to Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse (CCASA), the primary sexual harassment, sexual abuse and sexual assault crisis, counselling and education service provider for Calgary and the surrounding areas. Together our two organizations are in the process of delivering training to different cohorts, covering topics such as healthy masculinity, consent, the continuum of harm, and bystander intervention through interactive activities and discussions. We believe anti-sexual violence training is a powerful tool for creating social change. That said, for meaningful change to take hold, training needs to be reinforced by an ongoing, fulsome strategy within sports organizations to address sexual violence to shift rape culture within sports. As part of these efforts, governments, sports organizations, and corporations need to recognize the expertise of community-based sexual assault centres across Canada and fund them to provide training to local athletic organizations. If you are a representative from one of these groups, and want to be part of funding this work, please reach out to our Centre We know that men and boys, with their unique ability and responsibility, have an essential role to play as allies in the work to end sexual violence. We encourage our community to connect with us to learn how our Male Allies Program can support your group or organization. Finally, if you are a survivor of sexual violence in Waterloo Region, we are reaching out to you. You are not alone. Our 24-Hour Support Line is available anytime, night, or day at 519-741-8633. To learn more about our services, visit sascwr.org. For Ontarians seeking support outside of Waterloo Region, visit sexualassaultsupport.ca
Kitchener, Ont. – In partnership with the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC), Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region (WCSWR) is proud to announce two beds, one at each shelter, will be reserved for those experiencing sexual exploitation and trafficking
Funded by SASC, these beds will provide temporary emergency shelter to clients until they are able to access long-term housing support. Lack of access to a safe, emergency shelter is a major barrier for individuals exiting an exploitative situation, as many do not have a safe alternative. “Our Centre is thrilled to launch this partnership with Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region,” says Sara Casselman, Executive Director, Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region. “We know access to safe and secure housing is a key component to ending the exploitation of women, girls, trans and non-binary folks who have been trafficked.” Using a trauma-informed, harm reduction, and intersectional feminist approach, SASC’s Anti-Human Trafficking Program provides wrap-around services to those experiencing sexual exploitation and those who are at risk within Waterloo Region. Services are free, confidential and non-judgmental. Those who enter WCSWR’s shelter through this partnership will be enrolled in SASC’s Anti-Human Trafficking Program. WCSWR operates two emergency shelters, Anselma House in Kitchener and Haven House in Cambridge. WCSWR empowers women and children to move beyond violence through the provision of safe shelter, educational resources and outreach services. Offering programs such as addictions support, music therapy and food and nutrition, WSCWR supports and cares for women at each step of their journey. The organization serves women and children 16+ from all cities and townships in Waterloo Region. “This partnership will provide a needed service,” says Jennifer Hutton, CEO, Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. “It will provide safety for those experiencing exploitation and will provide a community approach to gender-based violence.” This partnership will particularly support those most likely to be targeted by traffickers: young women and girls, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and Black, Indigenous and Racialized people. It is essential to wrap those most vulnerable to trafficking in community care. If you or someone you know is in need of this service, please contact the Anti-Human Trafficking Program at 519-571-0121 ext. 111 or email [email protected] from Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Those needing service after hours can contact Victim Services of Waterloo Region at 519-570-5143. Media Inquiries: Carly Holmstead Communications and Fund Development Supervisor Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region [email protected] | 519-742-5894 ex. 2027 Human Trafficking Fact Sheet In Canada, the vast majority (96%) of victims of police-reported cases of human trafficking in 2019-2020 were women and girls. – Statistics Canada, 2022 Of these:
Local Facts:
Last night Region of Waterloo Council unanimously endorsed a resolution calling on the Province of Ontario to provide increased and sustainable funding for community-based Sexual Assault Centres. Watch Sara Casselman's presentation to Council at the 45-minute mark.
 On December 6th, 1989, 14 women were murdered in an anti-woman, anti-feminist attack.
Every year on this day we acknowledge the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in their memory. 31 years later gender-based violence continues to take lives. This is not an old problem. In fact, it is getting worse. Femicide increased 84% in the first half of 2021. There are over 5000 missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people across Canada. November saw the highest number of new intakes to our centre in the history of SASC with 54 people reaching out for the first time. Our centre is on the frontlines of preventing and responding to gender-based violence, but we need your help. Women and girls will continue to experience harm and even death if we do not all work together to address the underlying causes of this violence. We need to dismantle the systems of patriarchy, rape culture, racism, and colonialism. We need proper feminist-based sex and relationships education in schools. We need to create spaces for boys and men to unpack and break down toxic masculinity. We need to stop blaming victims and create more resources for supports. We need everyone to be part of the solution. Follow our Male Allies Program on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@maleallies) to find ways that you can make a difference during the #16Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. If you are struggling we are here to listen. Call our 24 Hour Support Line at 519.741.8633. In loving memory of all of those impacted by the Montreal Massacre and gender-based violence:
Upcoming Campaign Between SASC and Post-Secondary Institutions Addresses Creating Consent Cultures11/3/2021
 The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) is teaming up with local post-secondary institutions Conestoga College, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University to address sexual violence on campus and in the community in the coming weeks with a new campaign: #Purple4Prevention.
#Purple4Prevention invites students, staff, faculty and the community to take a stance against sexual and gender-based violence and show solidarity by wearing newly designed t-shirts, taking a picture wearing the shirt, and posting it online with awareness and pro-consent messaging. In addition, campus and community members are encouraged to order a purple t-shirt design of their choice and wear it on November 25, 2021 - the day beginning the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a global initiative supported by the UN. Wearing these t-shirts shows how many in our communities stand in solidarity on an issue that often feels very solitary and isolating. Wearing these shirts and sharing messages online also creates an opportunity for discussion and learning about our role in creating safer campuses and communities. "We would like to see our post-secondary campuses and local community participate in our t-shirt campaign, but we also hope #Purple4Prevention goes deeper to start a conversation about the role we all play in ending sexual and gender-based violence. By showing survivors we believe them - and questioning and speaking out against harmful behaviour – we change attitudes and make our schools, workplaces and homes a safer place to be", said Jessica St. Peter, Manager of Public Education at SASC. To participate in #Purple4Prevention, you can order a t-shirt here: kitchenerscreenprint.com. The order deadline is Wednesday, November 17, 2021. Students, staff and faculty from each institution can pick up their t-shirts at designated locations on campus on Thursday, November 25, 2021. In addition, community members can pick up their t-shirts from Kitchener Screen Printing in Kitchener. More about this collaboration: The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) has been supporting survivors and working toward sexual violence prevention in Waterloo Region since 1989. Conestoga's Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention & Response Office, the University of Waterloo's Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office, and Wilfrid Laurier University's Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Office collaborates with SASC to provide support services and violence prevention education on campus. Jessica St. Peter, Manager of Public Education at SASC, says, "The collaboration with, and financial support of, our post-secondary partners shows such great value. Their support ensures that our Public Education Program has the resources to continually support local campuses and community in working towards a world free of sexual violence and oppression." More About the 16 Days of Activism Started in 1991 by the Centre for Women's Global Leadership, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence begins on November 25 with the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women and ends on International Human Rights Day on December 10. Significantly for Canadians, the 16 Days of Activism includes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and Girls on December 6. The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women was established in 1991, marking the day in 1989 when 14 young women were murdered at L'Ecloe Polytechnique de Montreal because they were women and feminists. Many anti-gender-based violence advocates and Indigenous advocates also honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People during 16 Days. Quick Facts: The Student Voices on Sexual Violence Survey, conducted in 2018 with post-secondary students in Ontario, shows that:
Additional stats:
For questions or more info about this campaign, please contact: Jessica St. Peter, Manager of Public Education Email: [email protected] Phone: 519-571-0121 ext. 103  With financial support from The Law Foundation of Ontario, Our Centre is pleased to announce the pilot of a new, precedent-setting position at our Centre - Sexual Violence Legal Advocate. The Sexual Violence Legal Advocate will support survivors of sexual violence in seeking out the justice they deserve. This free service will soon be open to all genders and includes case management, individual advocacy, assistance with documents, and court accompaniment.
We're setting a precedent for change We know that the justice system is often retraumatizing, frustrating, and overwhelming for victims of sexual violence. Earlier this year, our community witnessed this fact when a local survivor faced a $2,600 fine after her rapist reported her for sharing a transcript of her case that contained her name with members of her family and close friends. As a response to this case, lawyer Pamela Cross (one of Canada’s leading women’s advocates) called on Ontario to "Implement a province-wide system of community-based sexual assault legal advocates, similar to Ontario’s Family Court Support Workers, who could provide case-management style support to survivors throughout their legal proceedings." We agree that a province-wide system of community-based sexual assault legal advocates is necessary. Victims of gender-based violence often have to navigate several legal systems simultaneously because of their sexual assault, including criminal court, family court, tribunals, and immigration proceedings. Black, Indigenous and Racialized survivors, those living with disabilities, and/or those living on lower incomes experience additional barriers to accessing justice. In the end, the barriers faced by survivors impact whether or not they are willing to report. A study by Justice Canada found that ⅔ of victims of sexual violence were “not confident in the court process and justice system in general.” The study found that the most frequently reported reasons for not reporting sexual assault were:
The study recommended creating a Legal Advocate position “to support sexual assault victims through the entire legal process, that is, from the time the incident occurs through to the court process and after the trial has ended.” Therefore, the goal of this pilot will be to demonstrate the ability of this model to improve access to justice for victims of sexual assault. Through external evaluation, we will assess the impact of this service on survivors of sexual violence. Evaluation results will help grow this model at our Centre and beyond, so more survivors can receive support in navigating the legal system. We will share results with the 31 members of the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres to bolster advocacy efforts for this much-needed service. Our sincere thanks to The Law Foundation of Ontario for making this pilot program possible. We also wish to thank the following organizations and professionals for their non-monetary support of the Sexual Violence Legal Advocate position:
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