Online Chat Support

Need support? You're not alone. You can reach a trained and caring volunteer via text or chat during these times:

• Monday-Friday
• 4:00 p.m. - Midnight

This is a free, anonymous, confidential and professional chat for survivors of sexual violence, and the people who support them. Here are a few things you can expect when you reach out to chat with us:

• Crisis support, options, information and referrals, as well as advocacy and accompaniments
• Support to all genders who have experienced sexual violence as a child or adult
• Support and information for friends and loved ones supporting someone who has experienced sexual violence

The chat is accessible by visiting our website on the above dates and times.

Questions

email us

Terms and Conditions

​Privacy
We take your privacy very seriously. The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region does not trace calls or live chat conversations. We can’t get anyone else involved if you choose to stay anonymous.

Confidentiality
Our chat service is using technology built to be secure and is protective of the conversations held on it. It uses end-to-end encryption and the data is segregated from other users. Encryption is a way to ensure that if the data is being intercepted, it does not come up appearing the same way you see it, it comes up looking like code.

When you message us, you may use your name or an alias. It’s up to you! Your message remains confidential and a trained facilitator will respond. 
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Anonymous records of this chat service may be retained for the purpose of training and/or quality control.

Reporting
You have the option to remain anonymous when using our service. Anonymous means our support facilitators will not require you to provide any identifying information during a conversation. You may choose to give us your name or location because you want a facilitator to help you find services in your community, but it is not mandatory to provide this information. If you request follow-up from staff members or would like ongoing support, a form of contact will be needed, but only shared in the way that you have requested.

If you give us information that can identify you and the situation is considered dangerous to you or others, the support facilitator is legally obligated to involve an external agency. This is part of our “Duty to Report”. 

​Our support facilitators have a duty to report in the following cases:
1.    If you are under the age of 16 (sixteen) and tell us that someone is hurting you, has hurt you, or is likely to hurt you in the future, or you have witnessed domestic violence. If you are under the age of 16, services will be offered to you from Family and Children’s Services’ separate program called the Sexual Abuse Treatment Program. These services are voluntary and require your consent.
2.    If you tell us you are planning to hurt yourself or someone else, and you have provided us with identifying information;
3.    If you tell us that you have been abused by a professional in your life (doctor, counsellor, psychologist, social worker, teacher, parent/stepparent, etc.).

Although we are obligated to report these things, we will discuss them with you before any report is made and will support you in making the report if necessary.