Strengthening Our Roots

A Practical Service Delivery Guide for Community-Based Responses to Sexual Assault

Table of Contents Part One: Laying the Groundwork 1. History 6 2. Definitions, Statistics, and Language 7 3. Community Action Towards Ending Sexual Assault 9 a. Beliefs 10 b. Principles 11 c. Action 12 4. Minimum Core Services 13 5. Community Engagement 15 Part Two: Building a Community Response to Sexual Assault 1. A Survivor’s Needs – Minimum Core Services in Action 19 2. General Intervention Principles 25 3. 24 Hour Crisis Support 26 4. Short & Long Term Counselling 27 5. Trained Professionals and Service Providers 28 6. Service Delivery Coordination 29 7. Community Awareness 31 Part Three: Community Based Sexual Assault Responses

1. Branching Out 33

2. Establishing a Sexual Assault Response Team a. What is a SART 35 b. Community Engagement 37 c. Implementation 39

3. Personal Growth Workshops for Survivors of Sexual Assault a. What to consider when providing workshops or support 42 groups b. Sample Agenda 43

4. Establishing 24 Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Support a. From Dream to Reality 47 b. Crisis Support to Short Term Counselling – Filling a Gap 48

Part Four: The Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre 1. History of FSACC 50 2. Programs and Services 51 3. 24 Hour Crisis Response 52 a. Crisis Intervention Models 53

4. Volunteer Crisis Intervention Program 59

5. Counselling Program 61 a. Counselling Philosophy at FSACC 62

6. FSACC’s Feminist Perspective on Sexual Assault 64

Part Five: Community and Government Resources Provincial Services 67

Region 1 : Kent, Westmorland, and Albert County 69

Region 2 : Kings, St. John, and Charlotte County 72

Region 3 : Queens, Sunbury, York, Carleton, and Victoria County 75

Region 4 : Madawaska, Restigouche-West, and Victoria-North County 79

Region 5 : Restigouche-East County 81

Region 6 : Gloucester County 83

Region 7 : Northumberland County 85

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There has been much progress made on increasing our communities’ responses to sexual assault. Communities have assessed their needs for sexual assault services, and have identified the assets and resources that already exist in their communities that can be expanded. Communities have come together to learn, share, and collaborate.

Communities are now prepared to look at models of service delivery and begin enhancing or establishing a better response to sexual assault for victims and survivors in their community. New Brunswick communities are working together to train professionals and service providers, look at options for long and short term counselling, increase community awareness, working towards 24 hour support and coordinating existing services in order to minimize gaps and respond to the needs of survivors efficiently, respectfully, and competently.

This service delivery guide has been written to provide guidance to communities that are ready to take the next step in responding to sexual assault. Community-based sexual assault services are imperative to any strategy to address this issue. This guide will give information on how to build a strong foundation to begin this work, provide an overview of the minimum core services framework and how it is implemented. The guide will then look at three service delivery models that were implemented in New Brunswick communities and share important information from those working on the front line on the successes and challenges of implementing these services. The guide will also highlight the Fredericton Sexual Assault Centre. As the only Sexual Assault Centre in the province, FSACC has a rich history of providing community based sexual assault services and will share its experiences

Finally, included in this guide is a resource listing of government and community services available to those affected by sexual assault. This listing of services includes provincial resources as well as community-based services. It is hoped that this listing will serve as a valuable resource for community as they look forward in addressing needs of all those affected by sexual assault.

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History

In May 2005, “A Better World for Women – Moving Forward 2005- 2010” was launched by the Government of New Brunswick with the establishment of province-wide sexual assault services as a priority action. Working with the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, the province’s only sexual assault centre, to implement a provincial strategy, the Government of New Brunswick’s proposed community- based approach is to work through and with regional violence prevention groups and networks.

Through forums, trainings and resource development, the Provincial Strategy on Sexual Assault Services has been collaborating with New Brunswick communities to support the establishment and enhancement of services. Through these collaborations, it became clear that communities are dedicated to support those who have been affected by sexual assault.

As the Provincial Strategy progresses, communities have moved from learning about sexual assault and its effects on the lives of individuals, to assessing what the needs are in their communities, to engaging other stakeholders to develop and implement their own priorities.

Now is the time to nurture the seeds of change for all those in New Brunswick who are affected by sexual assault.

It can be overwhelming when deciding where to begin. This service delivery manual is intended to help your community address the sometimes difficult questions when establishing services. We hope the information found in this guide will help your community develop effective services for the future.

Definitions and Statistics

The following terms may be used throughout the guide.

Sexual Assault: Any form of sexual activity (kissing, fondling, touching, oral sex, sexual intercourse) without consent .

Rape: Sexual intercourse without consent . This term is no longer used in the Criminal Code of Canada, but is still used to describe forced sexual activity.

Stranger Sexual Assault: Sexual assault of a person by someone who the victim does not know (occurs in approximately 22% of sexual assault cases).

Acquaintance Sexual Assault: Sexual assault of a person by someone known to the victim, but not a romantic interest.

Date Sexual Assault: Sexual assault of a person by someone known to the victim, and seen as a romantic interest.

Relationship Sexual Assault: Sexual assault of a person by a partner in a long- term romantic relationship.

Percentage of women sexual assaulted in Canada: 39%

Percentage of victims who are women or girls: 82%

Percentage of offenders who are men: 98%

Percentage of attackers know to the victim: 78%

Percentage of assaults that occurred in the home: 67%

Percentage of sexual assaults reported to police: 6%

Percentage of women with disabilities who will be physically or sexually assaulted: 83%

Percentage of Aboriginal women who have been sexually assaulted: 57%

(Definitions and Statistics taken from The Empowerment Project: Assertiveness and Self-Protection Training for Women and Girls)

Use of Language

Survivor versus Victim: Different disciplines (especially those concerned with the legal or medical aspects of sexual assault) will refer to those who have been sexually assaulted as victims. In most cases in this manual, we will use the term survivor to honour and recognize the healing journey of those who have been sexually assaulted.

Pronouns: In recognition that that majority of sexual assault survivors are female, the female pronoun will often be used when discussing survivors or victims of sexual assault. When discussing alleged perpetrators of sexual assault, the male pronoun is often used because the majority of alleged perpetrators are male.

8 Community Action

Community action toward ending sexual assault

A Preventative Model

Sexual assault is a complicated human issue and its prevention requires action in many areas of community development. The model below reflects a comprehensive diagram of those areas involved in the prevention process. This model was adapted from “A Community Model for Addressing Sexual Violence in Antigonish County”, June 1995 .

Action Toward Ending Sexual Assault

Beliefs and Values

Guiding Principles

Community Action

Community Programs and Services

9 Community Beliefs

The first step of

community

development towards

Stereotypical ending sexual assault gender roles is to ensure the support an Inequality is a community is aligned root cause of acceptance attitude with established core sexual assault. towards sexual beliefs of the issue. assault. Fundamentally, these FOUR FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS beliefs drive the overall direction of the preventive Shared survivor experience is Men and boys process. are part of the essential to prevention. solution. Communities should

be aware of the four essential beliefs noted above and may also have others that they wish to identify and name.

1. Inequality is a root cause of sexual assault. Inequality occurs when one person has more choice, resources and power than another person. Victim demographics and statistics indicate that sexual assault is a crime where the perpetrator feels they need to control someone.

2. Stereotypical gender roles support an acceptance attitude towards sexual assault. Gender stereotypical statements exist within the fabric of our society. In the context of sexual assault for example, the societal belief that women or girls dressing in revealing clothes causes boys and men to be sexually aroused and therefore unable to control their reactions is fed by societal conversations about censorship and pornography.

3. Shared survivor experience is essential to prevention. Anecdotal or narrative sharing of incidences provides valuable, essential and fundamental statistics and experience information that can not be obtain from other sources.

4. Men and boys are part of the solution. Statistics show that 98% of sexual assaults are committed by males. Sexual assault is not only a woman’s issue; it is of concern for everyone. Therefore the role of men and boys is vital in changing societal beliefs and preventing sexual assault.

10 Guiding Principles

Women Accessibility Orientation

Survivor determined Accountability y

Non judgement Confidentiality

Safet y Respect

Community groups involved in preventing sexual assault operate within a set of guiding principles. These principles are demonstrated in their interactions with each other, their organizational policies, procedures and processes and their client service delivery. Fundamental guiding principles include ;

• Physical, emotional and mental safety for all who are involved • Accessible and available services for all • Demonstrated respect for each other • Communication without judgement and blame • Strict confidentiality rules • Seeing the situation from a woman’s point of view • Taking responsibility and accountability for actions and attitude through empowerment

And last but definitely not least… All strategic actions, client services, community programs are driven by survivor need, knowledge and experience.

11 Community Action

The role of a community in the prevention of sexual assault is to provide support to individuals and groups who are proactively involved in the issue and to raise awareness with those who are not actively involved in the issue.

Training Advocacy and Development

Policy Service Development Coordination

Evaluation Public Education

The community can provide …

• Public education programs to raise awareness of sexual assault and the importance of reporting relevant information. • Input to politicians and government for statistical analysis and policy development. • A voice to advocate on behalf of survivors and the community itself • Training and development opportunities for community leaders, volunteers and service providers • Coordination of services to victims, families and the public to ensure consistency of service levels. • Evaluation of service and programs and community assessment analysis.

12 Minimum Core Services Framework

What is the minimum core services framework?

Resulting from decades of experience from other Sexual Assault Centres and other service providers, this framework addresses the basic services and supports that sexual assault survivors need in order to progress along their journey towards living well. Moreover, it addresses the need for service providers and professionals to have specialized knowledge, experience, and skills to address sexual assault. Another important aspect of the minimum core services framework is awareness of sexual assault in the entire community which focuses on prevention and awareness initiatives.

The following information was adapted from: Children, Young People and Their Communities: The Future is in our Hands , held 27-28 March 2001 at Launceston Tramsheds Complex, Launceston, Tasmania. This paper was downloaded from: http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2001/cypc.aspx

As outlined in the minimum core services framework, following a sexual assault a person needs:

• To be believed • To have a safe environment • To receive information and support

More specifically, the services which can address these needs can include any or all of the following:

• Information about services and • Police involvement options for care and support. • Medical care • Counselling services • Psychological care • Safe accommodation • Forensic examination

The services need to BE: The services need to HAVE: • Client focused. • Ongoing education for staff and • Well coordinated community • Consistent • Protocols, policies and procedures • Conscious of staff ‘burn out’ • Regular interagency meetings • Supportive • Interagency cooperation • Leaders in the community • Statistic and data collection. • Empowering • Access to Child protection services • Accessible • Access to domestic violence services • Access to legal services • Access to Mental health services • Trained Crisis Interveners • Support networks • Access to addiction services • Continuous evaluations and reviews

24 Hour Crisis Support

Short & Long Trained Term Professionals Counselling and Service MINIMUM Providers CORE SERVICES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT

Service Community Delivery Awareness Coordination

24 HOUR CRISIS SUPPORT ▪crisis intervention either in person or by phone to respond during acute phase ▪advocacy: help victims in regaining personal power and control as they make decisions about medical care; help victims gain knowledge of criminal justice system ▪provide information and referrals as needed

SHORT & LONG TERM COUNSELLING TRAINED PROFESSIONALS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS ▪counselling is affordable, accessible, womancentered and survivor ▪service providers are trained in the unique aspects and effects of directed; support groups are available as needed sexual assault ▪counsellors are specifically trained in sexual assault counselling ▪hospital and police personnel are trained in sexual assault response including the social context in which sexual assault occurs protocols ▪counsellors assist survivors in identifying the effects and support ▪service providers are knowledgeable about community services recovery and integration of the sexual assault ▪professional schools provide training on sexual assault

SERVICE DELIVERY COORDINATION COMMUNITY AWARENESS ▪working relationships and agreements among programs and service ▪awareness of services is directed at survivors and their loved ones providers are in place and improve services to survivors ▪the community’s awareness and knowledge of sexual assault is ▪each discipline or agency has defined roles and responsibilities increased through preventative education programs in schools, public a continuum of support is available to all victims and survivors education presentations and other awareness activities

Community Engagement Sexual assault is likely a hidden issue in your community; therefore its effects may not be obvious. It is important, then, to give your community a variety of ways to discuss this issue, and how the issue affects them on a personal level. As a result of this, individuals will inevitably identify themselves as wanting to become involved to address this issue. Much has been written on Community Engagement. For a great overview of different models and ideas, please see “Our Growing Understanding of Community Engagement”, developed by Tamarack. The document can be downloaded at tamarackcommunity.ca/downloads/home/ce_report.pdf . As your community works towards establishing or implementing services, keep in mind that true community engagement involves the proactive and active involvement of a variety of community members, throughout the process. Experience shows that community engagement brings important benefits 1: resources are targeted more effectively services are better tailored to local needs people take greater responsibility for what is happening in their area more lasting and sustainable change takes place

More often than not, a key community organization will become the initiator of the engagement process. It is important that this organization continues to support and nurture leaders outside of their organizations. One way of doing this is to establish and maintain the commitment from your entire community:

Commitment 2 Secure commitment from all those involved. The commitment of all stakeholders (including the community) will be essential for effective community engagement. Community engagement should be, and should be seen to be, a core activity . This means integrating community engagement into planning and management systems. It is likely that a range of methods and approaches will be required to cover the needs of the community. Tackle issues of real concern - get individuals and communities to help set issues for action. It is important that any engagement exercise or strategy focuses on issues that are of genuine concern in the community. For example, it may be possible to build upon general community surveys or panel surveys by concentrating on particular issues of concern.

1 Effective Engagement: A Guide to Principles and Practice, Drug Misuse Information Scotland, downloaded from http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/goodpractice/EIU_commeng.pdf .

2 IBID

Be clear about the limitations of the overall strategy and each consultation activity . If, for example, you wish to consult on a specific policy or planning issue, you should be open about any courses of action that will not be feasible, and why. This will avoid raising unrealistic expectations and subsequent frustration. You should make clear that some action may be long-term. Promote success. Where an engagement strategy or particular method has been successful in a community, it is important to promote the success. It may be important to get the local media on board to help disseminate this information.

For true community engagement, a wide variety of people should be invited to speak out on the issue. When this is done, your strategy to address the issue will be more comprehensive and will be more effective. Here are some tips to achieve inclusiveness when engaging your community:

Inclusiveness

Be open, accessible and Consider the most approachable . If community appropriate location and time members and community groups for each engagement activity. feel able to make contact and It is generally advisable to maintain contact with agencies engage with people in a familiar and partnerships there will be or comfortable environment more and better community (perhaps their own home) or at a engagement. venue well known to them e.g. Maximize the opportunities community centre or library. If for participation by the you are trying to engage with community . Simple things can people of working age it may be make it easier for people to important to provide participate. For example, opportunities to participate in providing options for the evening or at weekends. transportation and childcare, Develop the skills and ensuring disabled access to capacity of the community. venues and providing optional This may be achieved through ways of participating appropriate training and other support to to an individual’s level of ability community representatives. This and confidence. It is also may also be supported by e.g. important to consider the payment of expenses. additional support that may be Give individuals or required for vulnerable groups. communities the opportunity to oversee the introduction of the agreed developments or changes and involve them in the process of implementation.

Just as it is important to have a broad range of groups and perspectives represented, it is equally important to provide a variety of events and venues for these perspectives to be voiced. Some ideas to discuss sexual assault in your community are: Engage local schools to raise awareness as well as what the barriers and challenges are for youth. Youth Action groups may result in this engagement. Speak at church services and study groups . Hold facilitated focus groups . These can be one time only events, or continuous over a period of time. Participate in an Awareness Day at the local health care centre . Not only will you connect with community members, but also other staff at the health care centre. Your local community centre likely has a variety of activities for a variety of age groups. Ask to speak at a few of these groups to get feedback. Use technology. A carefully worded, user friendly email or website will often result in valuable and anonymous feedback. You can also consider using social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or a blog. Get political . Local politicians may sometimes not be aware of certain issues affecting their community. Meet with them personally, or invite them to an event to discuss sexual assault in your community, and how they can help address the issue. Often, they will be able to access resources that you may not otherwise have been aware.

Ensure Survivors of Sexual Assault Have a Voice. All services need to be informed by input, feedback, and involvement of survivors. Survivors and others affected by sexual assault are the experts in identifying what is needed and what is missing in your community. Survivors of sexual assault need to be engaged in order to provide a key perspective in the discussion of the issue. Survivors’ participation in this process will also encourage others – be it community leaders, or other survivors – to step forward and become fully engaged in responding to the issue in your community.

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A Survivor’s Needs: Minimum Core Services in Action

Sometimes, even the best laid plans do not translate to a fully comprehensive response to sexual assault. It is nearly impossible to predict the particular details of a sexual assault; however, using the Minimum Core Services framework, your community can meet each survivor’s basic needs.

Use the following cases to meet the basic needs of each survivor using services available in your community. You may need to think creatively or access services that you may not have thought of before. Note if there are any gaps; how will these needs be addressed?

Consider the following cases. What kind of responses does each person need?

Anne , 34, has been married to a man for 8 years. She has recently left her husband and is currently staying at a transition house. Recently, she confided in a staff person about the ongoing sexual assaults she experienced from her husband.

Kim is 52 years old and has recently moved to the community from Korea with her husband. This afternoon, a plumber came into her house to repair her bathroom. She was sexually assaulted. She called her husband who came home from work and brought her to the hospital.

Julie , 15, recently disclosed to her guidance counsellor that she is in a sexual relationship with the youth pastor at her church who is 21. She claims she is very much in love with him, and does not want to end the relationship.

Allan is a man with an intellectual disability who is 24 years old. Recently, one of his support workers noticed that Allan has developed a strong interest in women, and in particular a woman who lives in his supported living home. The woman is uncomfortable with Allan’s behaviour towards her.

Zoe , 37, is a survivor of childhood sexual assault. Although she has been successful in her career and family life, she has recently been experiencing flashbacks, and is abusing alcohol to deal with this.

For each of these scenarios, let us consider how each survivor can be supported. As an example, here is the first scenario:

Anne

Needs Response

24 Hour Crisis Response Transition house staff Sexual Assault Crisis Line

Short and Long Term Sexual Assault Centre Counselling Mental Health Centre Private Counselling

Trained Professionals Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training and Service Providers Legal information and/or advice Medical attention regarding pregnancy/STDs if required

Service Delivery Coordination Transition House Intervener should be aware of what is available in the community so she can help Anne access other services she may require. A directory of resources and referrals should be readily available to service providers

Community Awareness Further community awareness of sexual assault within domestic partnerships can help people like Anne to come forward. A workshop on sexual assault in relationships within the transition house can help other women living in the transition house to identify and seek help for their own experiences.

Minimum Core Services Worksheet: Kim

Needs Response

24 Hour Crisis Response

Short and Long Term Counselling

Trained Professionals and Service Providers

Service Delivery Coordination

Community Awareness

Minimum Core Services Worksheet: Julie

Needs Response

24 Hour Crisis Response

Short and Long Term Counselling

Trained Professionals and Service Providers

Service Delivery Coordination

Community Awareness

Minimum Core Services Worksheet: Allan

Needs Response

24 Hour Crisis Response

Short and Long Term Counselling

Trained Professionals and Service Providers

Service Delivery Coordination

Community Awareness

Minimum Core Services Worksheet: Zoe

Needs Response

24 Hour Crisis Response

Short and Long Term Counselling

Trained Professionals and Service Providers

Service Delivery Coordination

Community Awareness

General Intervention Principles

As your community comes together to respond to sexual assault, it is important that all service providers, and all stakeholders agree to respond with the same intervention principles. Underlying all should be the goal to empower the sexual assault survivor through respect, the provision of options, and the power to make decisions regarding her own life.

Often, this process will lead to the establishment of policies that can be used within, and between, the various organizations and stakeholders.

It is an important first step for the many service providers in your community to agree on general intervention principles that will apply to all agencies. Service providers should come together to decide on the intervention principles that will be respected and valued, and this document should be circulated and signed by all agencies. Some principles may include:

• All services are to be survivor-centered and survivor-directed . This principle respects the experiences of the survivor and her ability to choose supports and services that are appropriate for her. • Privacy and confidentiality will be respected at all times. • Agencies will collaborate openly and freely to ensure maximum access and choice to the survivor. • Service providers will be aware of personal biases and will present information to the survivor that is non judgmental, unbiased and sensitive to differences in language, ability and culture. • Service providers will maintain accurate and up to date records and will share this information if and when appropriate.

Once these principles are agreed upon, individual agencies should begin to look at their own organizations’ operating guidelines to ensure the highest quality of services for survivors of sexual assault.

There are a number of questions to consider when developing intervention guidelines. The next few units will discuss these issues and what will be needed to set up these responses.

24 Hour Crisis Response Twenty-four hour crisis response involves trained crisis interveners to respond either in person or by phone during an acute phase of crisis. Crisis interveners act as advocates for victims during this critical time, and help the victim to regain personal power and control as they make decisions about medical care and legal proceedings. The crisis intervener is also often the first point of contact and needs to ensure the safety of the victim and provides referrals to other services or resources as needed. This service may also be used by secondary victims, friends and family of the survivor, other service providers, or survivors of past sexual violence. Questions to consider when developing this service: • Will this service be volunteer driven or will the service be run by staff in an existing organization (such as a transition house)? Or will this service be a coordination of different services already available in the community to provide a 24 hour response? In all cases, crisis interveners will need to be trained specifically to respond to sexual assault. • Who will be responsible for the training and maintaining of crisis interveners? Interveners will likely need ongoing support and training in order to provide appropriate services. This will require a commitment both from the interveners themselves, and from the organization. As burnout is a factor, it is important that recruitment, mentorship, and support are ongoing priorities. • What will be the policies surrounding accompaniment to the hospital/police station/court room? • What will policies be around meeting face to face in other situations? • Will transportation costs be covered by the organization? What will the policies be on transportation (i.e.: will interveners and victims be permitted to travel together, can interveners transport victims?) • Which organizations will be included in your community’s list of resources and referrals? • In which languages will this service be offered? How will callers with special concerns be responded to? • How will information be gathered and stored? • Will there be follow up? How will that be done? • If it is not feasible to provide 24 hour response in your own community, are there other communities in your region that can help provide this service?

Short and Long Term Counselling

In an ideal world, survivors would have access to a variety of counselling options to choose from. In reality, however, trained counsellors experienced in responding to sexual assault may not be available or may not be accessible to all survivors.

In terms of responding to basic needs, the counselling options that are available should be affordable, accessible, survivor-centered and survivor directed. Counsellors need to be specifically trained in sexual assault counselling, including the social context in which sexual assault occurs. Counsellors must also assist survivors in identifying the effects of the trauma, and support the recovery and integration of the sexual assault.

Questions to consider when developing this service, or enhance the current services offered:

• Do any counselling services already exist in our community?

• If these services do exist in our community, would it be possible to collaborate with this service so that a portion of their work could be used in counselling sexual assault survivors?

• How will counsellors receive specialized training in counselling sexual assault survivors?

• Can the survivor access counselling services through Victim Services or through their private insurance plans?

• What other mental health services exist in our community?

• If long term counselling is not readily accessible, what services can be provided to meet the short term counselling needs of the survivor?

Trained Professionals and Service Providers

Chances are, if you are reading this manual, your community has service providers wanting to provide a response to sexual assault. What may be lacking, however, are the training, protocols, and policies that are needed for service providers and professionals to provide a collaborative response to sexual assault.

This particular minimum core service is the cornerstone of the minimum core service model. Without trained professionals and service providers, it will be nearly impossible to respond to sexual assault. As more people in your community are trained and become aware of the issue, the capacity to respond will increase. There will be a greater understanding of sexual violence, as well as increased respect for survivors. Moreover, as your community continues to train professionals and service providers, leaders will emerge who will then foster mentoring relationships, thus continuing to strengthening your community’s response to sexual assault.

Questions to consider when developing this service:

• Does anyone in your community currently have experience dealing with sexual assault? How will those skills and experience be assessed? What are the skills or gaps in their experience?

• Are those with these skills and experience willing and able to train others?

• What training is lacking in your community?

• How will you fill these needs in training? Can you form partnerships with other communities or organizations?

• Does your local hospital and police have training specifically addressing sexual assault? If not, how do they respond to sexual assault? Where can they access training?

• What other organizations would benefit from sexual assault training? (for example: legal aid organizations, transition houses, educators, etc).

Service Delivery Coordination

Coordination of services in your community will be done throughout the establishment of these services. From the outset of your planning process, each organization and service provider needs to have clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

Service delivery coordination works when it is done with all stakeholders at the table, and when it is frequently monitored, transparent, and accountable. Often, coordination of services simply requires open communication between services and organizations, with the goal of providing a continuum of support to all victims and survivors.

There are pre-existing models of service delivery coordination (such as a Sexual Assault Response Team, which will be discussed later in this manual). It will be up to your community to decide which model to use, and the roles and responsibilities of all services that will best suit survivors in your region.

Questions to consider when planning your community’s service delivery coordination:

• As a group of service providers responding to sexual assault, what intervention guidelines do we agree on?

• If a problem in communication arises, how will this be addressed?

• How will we ensure the survivor has power and control?

• How will information/resources/referrals be shared?

• How will we ensure that our continuum of service delivery is, and remains, survivor centred?

It may be helpful to design a “Helping Tree” diagram for other service providers in order to clarify each other’s roles and responsibilities. This tree is adapted from one developed by the Grand Falls Suicide Prevention Committee.

29 The Survivor wants/needs:

Legal Medical Addiction Crisis Counselling Information/ Housing Attention Services Intervention Support

Sexual Assault Local Public Legal Emergency Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Hospital/ Education Shelter Addiction Crisis Centre 123-4567 SANE Nurse 123-4567 123-4567 Services 123-4567 123-4567 123-4567

Transition Private Portage Counsellor Sexual Victim House Transition Health 123-4567 (Youth) 123-4567 Services 123-4567 House Clinic 123-4567 123-4567 (Under 25)

123-4567

Family Doctors 123-4567

Community Awareness

The goal of community awareness on sexual assault is two-fold. Awareness activities should raise awareness of the services available to survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones. Awareness activities should also seek to reduce the incidents and impact of sexual assault by raising community awareness of sexual assault in their own community, its impacts on the community, its causes, and how it can be prevented.

Considering the complexity of this issue, it would be difficult to design an awareness or prevention program that will meet these objectives for all groups. Therefore, it may be helpful in your community to decide what you want to accomplish, and to whom you are speaking:

Currently, many resources exist that can be used to compliment a community awareness or prevention campaign in your community. Here are just a few:

• The Empowerment Project is a Train-the-Trainer Tool-kit used to train facilitators to deliver self-protection and assertiveness workshops to women and girls. This resource, available online at www.fsacc.ca in both official languages has many workshops and activities that can be used for a variety of settings and audiences.

• Let’s Talk About It is a provincial awareness project launched in 2008. The website, lets-talk-about-it.ca contains information about sexual assault, community resources, Frequently Asked Questions and answers, and features resources where individuals can ask questions anonymously and receive an answer securely through the website.

• Dating Violence Prevention provides prevention workshops to Grade's 8 through 12, with the hope that students learn the tools they need to navigate those difficult first relationships and be able to recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship.

All of these sexual assault awareness programs are available through the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre.

Part Three

Community Based Sexual Assault Responses

Branching Out

There are many ways to respond to sexual assault in your community within the Minimum Core Services framework. Are some services better than others? In the end, your community will need to identify what services are most important to provide, what is realistic, and what responses to sexual assault will serve to build a strong foundation for the future. In 2008, the Provincial Strategy on Sexual Assault Services received funding from Status of Women Canada which enabled three New Brunswick communities to develop a community-based innovative model of service delivery for those affected by sexual assault. This section will explain these three service delivery models, discuss the planning, the work involved in creating these services, and the challenges and successes in each community. For this project, titled “Branching Out”, Saint John, the Acadian Peninsula, and the Northwest Region (Edmundston, St. Quentin, Kedgwick, Grand Falls), were selected to develop innovative models of service delivery. Each community was given $65,000 and 18 months to implement these service delivery models. Though each model had unique variations in what type of service was emphasized in each community, all three communities had similarities in their models of service: • Response to sexual assault was strengthened through Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training • Access to services was improved through public education and awareness activities. • A community event was held to encourage stakeholders to discuss the issue of sexual assault. There were very important lessons learned throughout this project that may help your own community when preparing to develop your own service delivery model: • Foundational Work Was Very Important – It is important to ‘ground’ your community’s sexual assault response with background work that will serve to strengthen your community over time. It is crucial to bring stakeholders in your community together to perfect a community needs and assets assessment. This step is important in determining the realities of your community before developing a model of service delivery. Moreover, the community stakeholders involved need to assess their own level of commitment to the work and their own capacity to move forward. There must be a spirit of teamwork and collaboration within the key stakeholders in order to succeed in establishing or enhancing sexual assault services.

• Having dedicated staff to coordinate community efforts facilitated the process of partnership and stakeholder engagement - Communities felt it would not have been possible to proceed without dedicated provincial staff. The Provincial Strategy, as well as other community networks, can provide many supports and aid in engaging your community in this work. It is also important, on a local level, to have leaders in the community who are committed to engaging others in the community and will work to build strong partnerships in the community. • Training and Mentorship Had a Big Impact – The Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre and its Provincial Strategy on Sexual Assault Services have developed several training programs (including Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training, or SACIT). Due to its decades of responding to sexual assault on a community level, FSACC and its many programs and resources are vital resources for training and mentorship. • Relationships and Partnerships Were Key Elements – It is important to integrate and partner with existing services rather than “re-invent the wheel.” Involvement of transition houses, family crisis centers and/or other established agencies are examples of essential partnerships. Building on existing relationships and partners are critical elements in implementing the service delivery models and making them more sustainable.

Source: Branching Out Final Evaluation Report prepared by Shauna Fuller, November 2009

Establishing a Sexual Assault Response Team

What is a SART?

• A SART is a group of volunteers and professionals from various agencies who work together motivated by a desire to improve each step of the response to sexual assault.

• A SART prioritizes and organizes the process of interventions as well as the community response to sexual assault, providing the victim with timely and professional services.

• The goal of the SART is to provide an integrated, comprehensive service for victims of sexual assault, delivered by members of an interdisciplinary team.

• Wherever the survivor enters the system — a counsellor’s office, a police station, an emergency department, or by calling a sexual assault crisis line — the SART can be activated.

Operation Principles

1. The SART prioritizes and organizes the process of interventions as well as the community response to sexual assault, providing the victim with timely, professional services.

2. The SART recognizes victims may or may not choose to proceed with a criminal investigation and will provide the victim with the information and support necessary to make an informed decision.

3. The SART recognizes victims and the criminal justice system have distinct needs. SART professional collaboration aims to meet both the needs of the victim, as well as support the efforts of the criminal justice system.

Who are members of a SART ?

- Police and Victim Services - Emergency Department Staff - Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) - Sexual Assault Volunteer Support Persons (VSP) - Community Counsellors/Therapists

For a successful Sexual Assault Response Team, many other community partners must be engaged. These partnerships include:

- Domestic Violence Outreach - Women’s Shelters/Housing and Support Agencies - Department of Social Development (Child and Adult Protective Services) - Family Practitioners - Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre - Crime Laboratory - Crown Prosecutor

Community Engagement

A successful Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) relies on the consistent and respectful collaboration and communication of its members, from a variety of disciplines. It is vital, therefore, that appropriate stakeholders are carefully identified, recruited and engaged.

Initiating Communication

Any sexual assault response can begin with one person. But for progress to be made, other stakeholders must be identified.

When Saint John was beginning its implementation of the SART, the coordinator contacted identified stakeholders and would then arrange individual meetings in order to determine their interest and support of the SART. It is important to stress the importance of their participation in the team, and to achieve their commitment to attend trainings, conferences, and to generally improve their own and their agency’s response to sexual assault.

Bringing Together the Team

Once each stakeholder group is approached and are introduced to the SART, key stakeholders need to be brought together. In Saint John, this was achieved through a SART conference and training event. This was a large scale event with participants from across the province, but a similar event can be held on a much smaller scale.

Regardless of size, the goal of such an event is to improve stakeholders’ knowledge of roles and responsibilities of service providers for victims of sexual assault. This will be a crucial opportunity to stop “working in silos” and to achieve a greater understanding of what is currently available for victims, and how each agency can play an important role for providing care. In Saint John’s experience, this conference also acted as an avenue for better communication between members and an opportunity to build relationships between stakeholders.

Working with the Team

While a successful SART must have a common goal, each agency has a different approach to interacting with the victim. Respect, accountability, and open communication must exist within the team in order to provide appropriate services to victims. At some points, agencies may decide to ‘agree to disagree’ on certain issues. However, if the team is committed to being victim-centered and agrees that the victim has the right to choose her own options concerning her well-being and safety, this will ensure a competent team.

No one agency can successfully handle all aspects of a sexual assault. Collaboration is necessary and strengthens the response of each individual agency. SART members will be aware of the scope and limitations of each other’s roles and responsibilities. This knowledge will facilitate continuity of care and optimal service delivery. - SART Operations Manual

Implementation

The following information has been provided by the Saint John Domestic Violence Community Action Group regarding the implementation of their Sexual Assault Response Team. Recognizing that each community is different, this information is to be used as a guide only.

Identify : Key Members Key Members for any Sexual Assault Response Team needs to include Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and/or other health care providers. They will often be the driving force in a SART, and will be the foundation upon which a SART is built. Police and/or RCMP (both in and around your community) is another crucial partner that needs to be engaged from the outset. Community Counsellors/Therapists (Public and Private), especially those specially trained in working with survivors of sexual assault, need to be identified. If possible, survivors of sexual assault may be able to provide valuable information on appropriate counsellors and therapists in the community. Victim Service Workers (both municipal and provincial) are a wealth of information for victims who are deciding whether or not to report. Engaging one or more Victim Service representatives will be very helpful to the SART, and to survivors. Crown Prosecutor(s) are important to approach. The establishment of a SART will likely affect their own work and a good relationship with crown prosecutors will lead to a greater understand of the justice system. Community support agencies (Domestic Violence Outreach, Housing, Addiction Services, etc) will be vital in providing additional services to victims of sexual assault. Identifying and engaging these agencies will build a stronger network of support for victims.

Schedule : Initial Agency Meetings Open lines of communication and identify key contacts Explain how the SART would function in your community Clarify/identify each agency’s abilities as well as roles and responsibilities Gauge interest in participating in a SART

Organize : Public Education Initiatives Introduce the SART concept to the broader community, including academic leaders, community activists, students, and others. Raise awareness of sexual assault in your community through presentations and workshops at schools, universities, health care centres, women’s groups, etc. Use the media to promote the issue and what your community is doing to respond to the issue: Letters to the Editor, press releases, fundraisers, etc.

Educate : SART Education and Training Offer Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training (SACIT) for community service providers. This may be available in your own community, or through the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre. Bring together members and other stakeholders with a SART conference. The conference can include the following topics: SART members’ roles and responsibilities, how to work as a team, special needs of sexual assault victims, how to implement SART, and identifying local service gaps. Provide specialized training opportunities regarding sexual assault for counsellors. This can be accomplished in several ways, including mentorships with other experienced counsellors.

Develop : SART Operations Manual Collaborate with the team to create and implement victim-centered nursing and policing protocols. Meet with the team regularly to review policies and procedures, SART goals and objectives, terms of reference and timelines. This manual will likely change organically over time, to respond to the changing needs of your community.

Establish : Volunteer Support Person Program A Volunteer Support Person serves as a victim advocate and as a support person for the victim during the clinical exam, and provides immediate one on one support, crisis intervention, and a link to counselling. Foundational work will need to take place by the SART in order to clearly develop the role of the volunteer support persons, policies and procedures, and the requirements and qualifications of VSPs. Recruit volunteers using media, word of mouth, public presentations, and agency newsletters. Interview and screen potential volunteers. This work is not appropriate for all, and it is crucial that all concerns are addressed before volunteers are accepted into the program. Train volunteers. Partner with other communities to facilitate, coordinate and deliver this training. Ensure that volunteers hold regular meetings and work collaboratively with the SART. Sustain the program by recruiting volunteers on an ongoing basis and provide training as needed.

Establishing Personal Growth Workshops for Survivors of Sexual Assault

What to consider What follows are some considerations in regards to running personal growth workshops for survivors of sexual assault, supplied by the North West Family Violence Committee.

What are some important qualities of a facilitator who wants to run this type of group? There must be two women facilitators. If one of the facilitators has experienced a sexual assault, she can provide a sense of safety and empathy to participants. It is preferable if at least one of the facilitators has a counselling background with professional experience in facilitation, psycho-educational programming, and/or counselling. Both facilitators need to be resilient, strong, have excellent listening skills, be self-motivated, and attentive.

What are some important things to consider in terms of facilitating this sort of group? Take your time. Different people have different needs and are not all at the same place in their healing. Take time to listen to the group and let the group lead you. Respect is very important.

How were participants recruited/referred for this group? Social workers, the North West Family Violence Committee, and our Outreach Worker.

If another community wanted to start a group similar to ‘The Power to Believe’, what would be your ‘top ten tips’? 1. This topic is difficult to discuss if 6. Give opportunities to women to men and women are present do individual work together. We chose to offer this 7. Stress that participation is not program to women only. obligatory 2. Location is important. Find a 8. Be flexible with the session warm, inviting, and private place subjects; respond to the needs of for the sessions. the group 3. Be ready, informed, and 9. Take your time and always be prepared. patient and available 4. Confidentiality is essential. 10. Listen and support. 5. Respect each woman and their “rhythm”. Each woman will process the sessions uniquely.

Sample Personal Growth Workshop It is important to note that the workshop example shown here is based in a theoretical framework that may not apply to every group. It is crucial to assess the needs of your group and your community before developing any workshop. It is also important to evaluate the effectiveness of any workshop.

Session 1: The Road to Happiness The first session establishes a positive atmosphere and begins to form connections between participants who may feel isolated.

Agenda Ice Breaker Introductions and Name Tags Introduction of the Journal (a notebook used to reflect, ask questions, or record feelings) Session opening: Messages of Light card, Mario Duguay Group rules and sexual assault statistics Weekly Assignment: Coping Mechanisms

Session 2: Reviewing Our Beliefs This session looks closely at coping mechanisms, and how they have helped the survivor to get to where she is now.

Agenda Welcome: Messages of Light card Group Check-in Introduction to coping mechanisms Five Basic Needs (Dr. William Glasser/Choice Theory) Weekly assignment: Assessing damage caused by sexual assault

Session 3: Understanding Destructive Behaviour

This session discusses both destructive and constructive behaviours and how they can help and harm individuals and relationships.

Agenda Welcome and check-in Introduction: seven destructive behaviours Damage Assessments Weekly assignment: Describe and reflect on emotions I have experienced in the last two or three months.

Session 4: Emotional Inventory This session helps participants reclaim personal power through reflection on emotions and reactions.

Agenda Welcome and Group Check-in Introduction: understanding our negative emotions The dysfunctional family Activity: forgiving Weekly assignment: writing my history facts, details and feelings

Session 5: Finding Peace Again In this session, group participants seek to come to peace with their past and become empowered to look forward to the future.

Agenda Welcome and Group Check-in Revealing the women’s histories History burning ritual Group lunch Positive approach for the Present Activity: our five needs Weekly assignment: my negative thoughts

Session 6: Choosing New Thoughts Participants learn to evaluate self talk in order to turn negative thoughts into positive ones.

Agenda Welcome and Check-in Learning how to turn negative thoughts into positive ones Activity: Positive affirmations and “your inner child” Weekly assignment: writing about the road to success (our accomplishments, pride, etc.)

Session 7: Positive Energy and the Law of Attraction Session 7 gives participants an opportunity to honour their strengths and how to use these to improve their lives.

Agenda Welcome and Check-in The road to success (presentations from each participant) Activity: Who am I? Special guest: Life Coach Activity: The Circle of Life Weekly assignment: Reflection

Session 8: Our Success This session encourages participants to look at their lives and to create balance in the many competing aspects of their lives.

Agenda Welcome and Check-in Introduction: Activity: collage o Activity: nine aspects of my life Weekly assignment: bring an object that represents you to the next session; write a letter to all of the participants including yourself

Session 9: You Deserve Happiness The final session is a celebration of the participants and their commitment to the work they accomplished throughout the workshop.

Agenda Welcome and Check-in Celebration recognizing the women’s commitment Reading of the letters Gift, rose and certificate of achievement Goodbyes

Establishing 24 Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Support

From Dream to Reality There are several service delivery models which can be used in providing 24 hour sexual assault crisis support. One model, which was implemented by the Acadian Peninsula in 2009, used pre-existing infrastructure and resources to provide a much need service to survivors of sexual assault in their community. The establishment of this service began with dreaming. A network came together to discuss the needs of the community, and what would be ideal for their community, in an ideal world. From there, the network discussed more realistic goals by identifying existing resources and community and individual strengths. In this community, a crisis service already existed within the Transition House (L’Accueil Sainte-Famille). This agency is staffed 24 hours a day and has a phone line for women experiencing domestic abuse. For this community, an anonymous 24 hour sexual assault crisis line responds to the particular needs of this rural region comprised of many small communities. Once it was established that L’Accueil Sainte- Famille would support and host the 24 hour sexual assault crisis line, the need for specialized training in sexual assault crisis intervention was identified. Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training was provided to L’Accueil Sainte-Famille staff that would be responsible for responding to calls on the line. SACIT was developed in response to communities identifying a need for sexual assault information and interventions. Since its development in 2008, SACIT has demonstrated that it is a vital component of sexual assault response in communities, particularly for service providers and communities seeking to provide 24 hour crisis support.

SACIT is largely based on the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre’s volunteer crisis intervener training, which is used to train volunteers on FSACC’s 24 hour crisis line. It is important that those responding to calls on the 24 hour crisis line are trained specifically in the causes of sexual assault, its effects, and how to provide support, including community resources and referrals.

Crisis Support to Short Term Counselling – Filling a Gap Through a partnership with another community agency, Services à la Famille, the Acadian Peninsula developed a referral process for callers to the sexual assault crisis line to access support beyond the immediate support provided there. If the caller wishes to be referred to short term counselling, a referral form is filled out by the crisis line intervener, and faxed to Services à la Famille. Once this information is received, Services à la Famille calls the survivor to arrange an initial appointment. While there may be a waiting list, wait times are typically not excessive. The following form is an example of a referral form that could be used:

Referral Form

NAME: Gender: F M ADDRESS: BIRTHDATE : M ___ D : ___ Y : ___ TEL: ______

______

REQUESTED SERVICES ::: Individual Counselling Family Counselling Group Counselling Other : ______

Comments :

Referred by: Agency: Date : Tel: Fax:

For Office Use

Referred tototo ::: DateDate :

Approved by :::

48 Part Four:

The Fredericton Sexual

Assault Crisis Centre

History of FSACC

The Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre originated in the summer of 1975 from a Chimo Help Centre meeting. This meeting was called to deal with the concerns of local university and high school counsellors, the Fredericton Women’s Centre and other citizens to establish the need for a resource group that could respond to rape crisis situations.

In November of that year, a full-time director was hired on a grant to organize the service. In January 1976, the Rape Crisis Service was able to offer a 24-hour service by having its volunteers take 12-hour shifts in rotation. These volunteers offered support over the phone to victims or other people concerned, as well as accompanying victims to the hospital, police station or a friend’s home. The grant ended in May of 1976 but volunteers managed to keep it going until September on the little money left and on donations. At this time, it was proposed that the NB Department of Health and Social Services and Chimo absorb the Rape Crisis Service and use its members as resource people. This was agreed upon and in December 1976 Social Services granted the Rape Crisis Service $9000. A new coordinator was hired and the service operated under the supervision of Chimo for the next three years.

In early 1979, the Rape Crisis Service began separating from Chimo. A new office opened at 384 Queen Street in June and in November 1979, the separation was completed. The Fredericton Rape Crisis Centre, Inc. now an independent organization, became incorporated in February 1980. It is supported by donations, fundraising activities, and the United Way. Until March 31 st 1994, the Department of Health and Community Services also provided funding. To reflect changes in the Canadian Criminal Code, the Fredericton Rape Crisis Centre became the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre in April 1994.

FSACC Programs and Services

The programs and services of FSACC arose from a belief that women should not need to go to a number of different locations for support for a sexual assault. Through its crisis line and individual counselling program, FSACC is able to provide much of what a survivor needs to regain her power and sense of self after a sexual assault. The counselling and crisis line programs work symbiotically in that accessible counselling is available to women who call the crisis line, and the crisis line is available 24 hours a day, when other services may not be available. These programs help to build trust in FSACC and a sense of safety for survivors.

While responding to the needs of sexual assault survivors is one FSACC’s primary objectives, FSACC also sees prevention and awareness as a key component to ending sexual violence against women. This is done through several programs and activities, which include:

Dating Violence Prevention Program: A prevention program that involves classroom presentations to Grades 8-12 students addressing violence in relationships. The Empowerment Project: Train the trainer workshops for facilitators to deliver personal safety and assertiveness workshops to women and girls. Public Education Program: Speaking engagements and workshops to professional groups, schools, social service agencies and the general public. Self-Protection Program: Workshops for adolescent girls and woman that address awareness about sexual violence, self esteem and self care, sexual communication and assertiveness, self-defence techniques, and creating a self protection plan. Take Back the Night March: Women unite to protest violence against women by marching through the streets every September.

51 24 Hour Crisis Response FSACC’s 24 hour crisis line is central to the other activities of the Centre. The 24 hour crisis line ensures access to support for anyone affected by sexual assault at any time. The crisis line helps to inform the centre and its other programs and services because it allows the voice of women affected by sexual assault to be heard. Survivors tell us their experiences, what they need, and what issues they face. The Crisis Line relies on trained volunteers to provide crisis support 24 hours a day. It is often assumed that volunteers must take their shifts at the Centre. In fact, the Crisis Line operates through an answering service, which provides more freedom to FSACC volunteers, while also ensuring a consistent and timely response. This is how a typical call is received:

Individual calls Crisis Line – 506.454.0437 Call is answered by Answering Service Caller gives answering service phone number (optional: name and nature of call) Answering Service calls on-call volunteer (the Answering Service receives a list of volunteer phone numbers and a roster indicating volunteer shifts for the month) Volunteer receives caller information and promptly returns the call .

As a 24 hour crisis line, our role is to be a caring first line of help. Our service is particularly valuable because we do not come from a traditional professional perspective that can create a power difference between the caller and the FSACC volunteer. What we offer is relating to women from our own experiences of abuse and/or oppression, sharing the information and knowledge provided through our training program, and care, support, and respect. It is our sense that these are some of the most valuable things for which a caller in crisis could ask. It is often asked of FSACC – ‘what is a typical call?’ The reality is that this question is impossible to answer as calls vary so widely. Calls can last anywhere from minutes to hours. Any human emotion can be encountered – and felt – on the line. Some calls can feel positive and rewarding, while other calls can be more difficult. For these reasons, it is vital that volunteers are aware of the effects of vicarious trauma, and are vigilant about their own self care. FSACC, as an organization, sees the care of its volunteers as paramount. What is consistent to each crisis call, however, is the process crisis interveners use throughout the call. There are two crisis intervention models that are used; one for calls regarding a historic sexual assault, and another for a recent sexual assault:

Crisis Intervention Model (Past Sexual Assault)

Establish a trusting Check on her safety relationship by Ensure she is in a safe place. listening, If needed, use grounding techniques to accepting and calm and comfort her. supporting

Allow her to vent Let her explain why she contacted you, how she feels. Let her direct the interaction. Listen with empathy. Respond, reflect, and paraphrase. Tell her you believe her and that it wasn’t her fault.

Let her define the problem A disclosure may not Find out what she needs. always reach the Help her problem solve and explore options. problem solving stage. The survivor may not be able to Answer her questions handle decision- Be honest in your responses. Do not try to protect her. making at this point. Venting, sorting out what happened and receiving support may Encourage the survivor to make decisions be all she needs at Do not voice your personal opinion (even if asked). this time. Provide support and encouragement for her decisions.

Assess resources Encourage her to seek support from trusted others.

Offer appropriate referrals Counselling, support groups, financial assistance, suicide prevention/intervention. Let her know she can call the FSACC crisis line anytime

(Adapted from CALCASA Support for Survivors guide)

Crisis Intervention Model (Recent Sexual Assault)

Check on her safety Establish a trusting Ensure she is in a safe place relationship by Ask her about her medical condition listening, accepting Use grounding techniques to calm and comfort her and supporting

Allow her to vent Let her explain why she contacted you, how she feels Listen with empathy. Respond, reflect, and paraphrase.

Let her define the problem Find out what she needs Help her problem solve and explore options

Discuss reporting or not reporting Explain what will happen if she reports (police & medical procedures)

Allow her to make the choice Do not voice your personal opinion (even if asked)

If she decides to report If she decides not to report Police are called. Encourage her to Encourage medical attention preserve evidence. Give her medical options Offer to accompany her to the (hospital, doctor, clinic) police or hospital Encourage her to seek support from trusted loved ones Ensure she is safe and has support for the night

Offer appropriate referrals Counselling, pregnancy, support groups, financial assistance, suicide prevention/intervention Let her know she can call the FSACC crisis line anytime

(Adapted from CALCASA Support for Survivors guide)

Crisis Intervention Details for Past and Recent Sexual Assaults

Check on the Person’s Safety Because of the urgent need for safety for the recently sexually assaulted woman, assess the immediate danger quickly and deal with it in a practical way. This can also be the case for someone who has been sexually assaulted in the past. The focus should be on finding out what she needs at that moment to feel safe. Remember that the person you are speaking with is probably in shock and terrified, and/or feeling overwhelmed. If appropriate, slow the process down by paying a lot of attention to her emotional state. Go slowly. Focus on her tone of voice, use of words and other indications of feelings. At the same time, begin to create a relationship of trust and respect with her so that she will accept your help. Your first priority is to ensure the physical safety of the woman. Included here are some things you can do to assess the situation:

Ask the woman about her safety: Are you in a safe place? Are you in danger? Can you stay where you are? Where is the assailant? Will he be returning? If she is in danger, immediate police intervention may be required. If this is the case, do not hesitate - get her name, location and consent to phone the police immediately. Ask the police to contact you after they have answered the call so you know what happened and can make follow-up arrangements. Ask her if she is aware of transition houses. Transition houses provide 24 hour service. Generally, they will accommodate women and children who are in physical or mental danger, usually for two weeks and up to one month. There is no charge. Counselling and resource information are available. Usually telephone counselling is provided for women who need someone to talk to. The addresses of transition houses are kept confidential to preserve the safety of residents. Procedures may differ for each agency depending upon the services provided. See the directory for contact information.

Ask about her medical needs: Are you injured? Do you need medical attention? Do you want to go to the hospital? Do you want/need other medical attention?

Calm the caller so that she regains some measure of control: Most people when experiencing a crisis forget to breathe, therefore tell her to breathe. You may also ask her what she usually does in a time of crisis and tell her to do the same thing this time i.e. get a blanket, make a cup of tea, etc. Use grounding techniques to help calm her if necessary.

Building a Trusting Relationship To build a trusting relationship, use the following counselling techniques: Listening Responding Empathy Questions Supporting Problem Solving

Use clarifying reflections to convey understanding as well as to help the survivor to begin to see issues more clearly herself (e.g. "It sounds like you feel you should have been able to prevent the assault"). Maintain a calm, attentive and concerned manner. It is important to let the survivor know that while the assault involved unacceptable behaviour on the part of the assailant, she is not unacceptable. This attitude serves, in many cases, to alleviate possible feelings of shame and guilt as well as the accompanying fear that she may be rejected. Provide non-judgmental understanding. This assures the survivor of her emotional safety. Show a sincere interest. Ask questions when you do not understand what she is saying. As long as the victim is talking and new material is emerging, be non- directive. When there is a stall in the interview, i.e., when the conversation is slowing and nothing new is coming up, talk about it. Let the woman know that whatever she is feeling talking about it might help.

Allow Her to Vent Allow her to vent for as long as she needs to. If someone is very upset, they sometimes will talk almost non-stop for quite a long time. Even though it may go on, try not to interrupt. She may have difficulty focusing right now. If you try to get into real counselling at this point, you won't have her attention and it will probably be very ineffectual. If it continues more than seems reasonable, you could ask her to take some deep breaths and sit quietly without talking for a while. This may help. It would be appropriate to talk with her about how upset she is and how out of control she must feel. It is also important to give the survivor permission to experience her emotions around the assault in the here and now. Expressing feelings physiologically, through crying, shaking, etc., can relieve tension and restore her ability to think rationally and make decisions. Help the survivor put her feelings into words as this process of ordering her experience will often assist her in regaining a sense of control and perspective. In all phases of the support process, the single most important thing you can do is to give the woman an opportunity to express her own feelings and to convey acceptance of those feelings as valid ones for her.

56 Let Her Define the Problem Let the survivor set the emotional tone. Deal with concerns as they are raised by the survivor and follow her lead as much as possible. This can counter the feelings of helplessness evoked by the sexual assault. Explore her concerns with her - help her identify major concerns and needs. What is she worried about? What does she need? Encourage Her to Make Her Own Decisions Support the survivor by exploring her choices with her. Help her identify what she needs to do now and the steps needed towards these goals. Most importantly, encourage her to make her own decisions. This process will encourage the survivor to regain her control over her life and feel she is capable of surviving the crises.

Discuss Reporting or Not Reporting Our goal is to help the victim deal with the trauma and with the realities of the medical, police and legal systems. You can do this by providing her with the support and information she needs to overcome feelings of fear and powerlessness. In order to function effectively you must feel comfortable with medical, police and court information. Familiarity with community resources and an ability to gain access quickly to those resources will prevent feelings of helplessness in the face of emotionally challenging situations. Learn as much as possible about their roles and ensure that they are familiar with yours. Our main job at this point is to lend support, give information about medical care, investigations and court procedures and help her express her own needs and wishes. Believe and reassure her at all times. Do not pressure her or advise her whether or not she should report. The decision must be hers alone. Regardless of her decision to report or not, it is imperative that a victim of a recent sexual assault receive some medical attention, even if there are no apparent injuries. Stress this to her in a gentle way. If she does not want to go to the hospital, offer alternatives such as a family physician or walk-in clinic.

The Sexual Assault Evidence Kit In case the woman decides to report the assault to the police, or decides to do so in the future, it is important to document evidence as thoroughly and accurately as possible. Potential evidence of the assault should be preserved. If she decides to report, suggest to the victim that she write down as much detail of what happened as she can remember. If she hasn't yet seen a doctor, tell her that she should not take a bath, shower or douche, even though she may want to do so. It is important to preserve any medical evidence of recent sexual activity and physical trauma, if possible. Ask her to preserve the clothing she was wearing at the time of the assault, which may be used as evidence. Suggest that she bring other clothes with her to the hospital.

57 A kit called the Sexual Assault Evidence Kit is available for use by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) or doctor. This kit is typically available from the police and will be used during the medical and forensic examinations to ensure accuracy of tests and continuity of evidence. Typically, the earlier a sexual assault is reported to the police, the easier it will be to collect evidence that a sexual assault occurred. A survivor can, however, choose to report a sexual assault to the police, regardless of when it occurred.

Resources There are a variety of resources used to cope with crisis. The first is to identify personal strengths and prior coping abilities. Draw on her responses to previous stressful situations. You could ask her what she usually does in a time of crisis and tell her to do the same thing this time. This could be something as simple as getting a favourite blanket, or making a cup of tea. The second type of resource is the use of support networks such as friends and family. Encourage the caller to call trusted loved ones. You could ask her “Do you have friends or family you can count on for support?” Talk about how she plans to access them. What will she tell them? This will help ease her anxiety. Talk over the alternatives - what will happen if she doesn’t contact them? The third type of resource is more formal. Enquire into her openness to seek formal supports such as a counsellor, minister, or social worker.

Referrals Encourage the survivor to plan for her support and safety needs. Make referrals, if necessary, for medical care, alternative shelter, counselling, etc. Referrals are not always necessary. You can be helpful just being there to listen and empathize. Some guidelines when giving referrals include: Familiarize yourself with the resources available in your community. Ensure that any resources you give are to agencies you know well and whose role you can explain clearly to the survivor. If referrals are appropriate, keep them at a minimum. One or two alternatives are more than enough. It is important to give concrete information to assist in making a decision. Be sure the information is clear. Ask her to write it down or repeat it to you. Encourage her to make the necessary contacts herself if at all possible. Do not be afraid to take time to collect more appropriate referrals. You can always ask to call back so you can find the appropriate information. Encourage the caller to take care of herself. Self-care is important at this time. Consider talking to the survivor about possible reactions she may have to the assault (nightmares, insomnia, muscle tension, confusion) both short and long term.

58 Volunteer Crisis Intervention Program

Currently, FSACC holds volunteer training twice a year; in the Fall and Spring. Training is co-facilitated by the FSACC program coordinator and a current member of FSACC. While volunteer recruitment happens year around, promotion of training occurs in earnest approximately 2 months before training is set to begin.

Over time, some strategies have proven to be more effective than others when recruiting volunteers. These strategies include word of mouth (specifically from past or current FSACC volunteers), presentations at schools, colleges, and universities, promotion through newsletters, and radio advertisements.

At FSACC, volunteers must be women who are 19 years of age or older. If a woman expresses interest in volunteering, she receives an application package which includes information about FSACC, the training schedule, an application form, and two reference forms. The woman is encouraged to read the information carefully, fill out the forms, and return them to FSACC. The rest of the process can be illustrated by the following:

Potential volunteer submits application package and reference forms If requirements are met, an initial interview with volunteer is scheduled Initial interview performed (to ensure appropriate fit with FSACC) Interview is successful, potential volunteer is invited to participate in training Potential volunteer attends all training sessions and completes all required work Final interview is performed to ensure comfort level, and knowledge of the issue Final interview is successful, potential volunteer is invited to join FSACC Volunteer attends orientation night and receives practical information about the crisis line, logging calls, receives an office key, signs a membership agreement. Volunteer takes shifts on the crisis line, attends monthly meetings, participates in other activities of the Centre (fundraising, community presentations, etc).

Volunteer training is an integral part of becoming a volunteer on the crisis line and a member of FSACC. Training takes over 50 hours to complete, over two months, on Wednesday evenings and over three full Saturdays. Training is an intensive process. Trainees begin training by learning about the root causes of sexual violence against women, and how this impacts their own lives as women. Trainees are encouraged to challenge ideas presented in training, and in turn are challenged by the facilitators. Training is carefully designed to allow for discussion, personal reflection, and mutual respect and support. Roleplays are a key activity during training in order the practice the skills learned in training and to build confidence in potential volunteers. By the end of training, trainees often still feel anxious about volunteering on the line, but feel capable and supported to begin this important work. Each new volunteer is assigned a sister – a current FSACC member who serves as a mentor, a sounding board, and a person that the new volunteer can debrief with when she receives a call or needs some support. Support continues after training with monthly meetings. FSACC, which operates through Collectivity, conducts business at these meetings as well as provides an opportunity for all its members to debrief over calls, troubleshoot, or to ask questions. Monthly meetings give FSACC members an opportunity to come together as a larger group in order to share experiences, challenges, successes, and mutual support. This work can be difficult. Over time, volunteers on the line can be affected by vicarious trauma, burnout, and emotional fatigue. For this reason, it is important that FSACC members are activists in this issue in other ways. Prevention, awareness, and activism are other important aspects of being an FSACC member. All members, regardless of their time at FSACC, are encouraged to take part in other activities that balance crisis intervention work with social change work. Members often take part in public presentations, awareness campaigns, and other forms of activism. The benefits gained by taking part in these activities often help to counteract the effects of volunteer burnout. Another important aspect of being an FSACC member is having fun. While easy to overlook, having fun is a key element in retaining members. This can be difficult, challenging, and exhausting work. Therefore, it is important that FSACC offers many opportunities throughout the year for members to come together in a social setting to learn more about each other, to laugh, and to take care of themselves.

Counselling Program Currently, there are limited counselling options for survivors of sexual assault, particularly those who cannot access counselling through Victim Services, private insurance, or through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). FSACC has developed a counselling program to address this gap which is available to all women in our community. The counselling program is based on the same philosophy of the crisis line in that all women should have the same access to services, regardless of their means. This small program relies on available funding. Currently, the counselling program is funded in part through United Way of Central New Brunswick, although FSACC continues to supplement this funding through other sources, including fundraising. Costs are kept to a minimum by hosting the counselling the program in the FSACC office, which saves on overhead costs. Survivors of sexual assault receive specialized counselling by counsellors who specialize in sexual assault counselling, and who work from a feminist framework in line with the philosophies of FSACC. There is a referral mechanism between calls to the crisis line and the counselling service. This ensures confidence for the volunteer crisis interveners on the crisis line in referring survivors to this service. This also ensures continuity in service for survivors. A woman can come to one place for sexual assault support, and in turn FSACC can build an environment of trust and safety for women who have been sexual assaulted.

Counselling Philosophy at FSACC As mentioned previously, FSACC’s counselling program work within a feminist framework. This framework identifies that fear of sexual assault is a reality for women in our culture. Furthermore, the roots of sexual violence are found in the social, political and economic structures of society, and ultimately, in the power differences between women and men created by these structures. Sexual assault is an action of violence that reflects an attempt to demonstrate power over another individual – it is not an act of sexual passion. A sexual assault violates a survivor’s sense of privacy, her sense of safety, and most of all her sense of self and the world as she knows it. FSACC’s counselling program operates under these general philosophies: 1. Nonjudgmental acceptance and validation of the survivor and her experience. Counsellor nonjudgment comes from the basic assumption that the survivor did not cause the violence toward her and that she is not responsible for the behaviour of her attacker. A nonjudgmental framework avoids reinforcing the stigma and blame she may already feel. 2. Providing immediate support and alliance. When the survivor seeks help, she needs support and alliance. This may begin to buffer the effects of the trauma while developing the trust and bonding needed in the counselling relationship. Attempts to expand the support network beyond the counsellor increases the woman’s available resources. Support might also come from other survivors who can understand her situation and from other people in the community.. This reduces the risk of inadvertent encouragement of excessive dependency through being the woman’s sole source of support. 3. Advocating for safety and building options. The survivor’s safety must be a primary consideration in all the work. Building various options toward safety acknowledges the woman’s central role of choice. 4. Willingness to experience the telling of the trauma. When working with a trauma victim, secondary exposure or vicarious traumatisation (McCann & Pearlman, 1990) of the counsellor is inevitable. 5. Assuming that posttraumatic stress responses are caused by the traumatic events. Posttraumatic counselling with women assumes that the traumatic response is caused by the victimization, alone or in combination with previous traumatic experiences; it does not assume pre-existing psychopathology unrelated to the exposure of trauma. Working with this initial hypothesis guards against pathologizing posttraumatic responses; it sees them as normal responses to trauma. 6. Education about violence and abuse is therapeutic. It is useful to educate women about what defines sexual violence as well as about common traumatic response to it. Normalizing responses to victimization reduces the fear of mental illness and provides an increased sense of control over specific posttraumatic reactions.

7. Coping Strategies are viewed as strengths, not pathology. In order for women to cope with the trauma of rape, it is often necessary for them to use such cognitive and emotional coping strategies as denial, disavowal, dissociation, or alteration of personality style. Viewed as attempts to cope with the rape or its after effects, not as indicators of unrelated pathological personality patterns, these coping strategies are recognized for their survival value. 8. In trauma victims, substance abuse is a common form of self-medication. Due to the intensity of the posttraumatic response, some women use drugs, alcohol, food, activity, achievement, and/or sex to self-medicate against the pain. In some cases, adjunctive treatment for drug or alcohol abuse, eating disorders and other compulsive behaviours is necessary. 9. Transformation of the trauma may result in positive changes. The process of surviving, escaping, and transforming the trauma may lead survivors to positive outcomes: the development of personal growth and sense of personal empowerment, bonding and attachment to nurturing and supportive individuals and a reclaimed future. 10. Prosocial action and self-disclosure facilitate the stress recovery process. Prosocial action and self-disclosure are related to positive mental health and recovery from trauma and have formed one of the foundations of feminist therapy. 11. Transformation of trauma is a lifelong process. Traumatic experience, including sexual violence, leaves a “psychic legacy that may require years of transformation even after successful resolution and integration produced by therapy or other means of coping.” 12. The trauma of abuse and victimization results in noncompensable losses. The losses experienced by victims of sexual violence are not possible to replace; they are noncompensable (Courtois, 1988). What is possible is to grieve the losses in order to create an emotional space for “going on”. 13. Assumption of self-determination. The assumption of self-determination for survivors provides the respect that is necessary in working effectively in the counselling context. 14. Counsellor self-care is essential. Supportive supervision, peer support groups, personal therapy or personal growth experiences, time for adequate rest, relaxation, exercise, well-balanced nutrition, and private time.

Adapted from Empowering and Healing the Battered Woman: A Model of Assessment & Intervention , by Mary Ann Dutton, 1992.

FSACC’s Feminist Perspective on Sexual Assault

In keeping with the long and rich history of Rape Crisis Centres throughout Canada, FSACC is a feminist organization that believes that inequality between men and women, oppression, and abuse of power are all root causes of sexual violence. FSACC has adopted a feminist perspective and mode of operation. We believe that all forms of inequality can be eliminated, and we are working toward a world without sexual violence. In order to challenge inequality, we operate as a feminist collective. This can be a time consuming process. It would be easier if we were to resort to hierarchical ways of running an organization, but, as we believe that part of our work is to help build an equitable society for all, we must begin with our own collective. Part of what we offer to the women we support, and to the wider community that we attempt to educate, is an alternative way of operating in this world. The anti-rape movement has come to understand that the differences in the realities of women can lead to abuses of power among women, based on class, colour, nationality, religion, level of formal education, able-bodiness, sexual orientation, chemical dependency, and so on. This is a difficult process for all women, especially for those of us who may resist examining privileges we have been accorded by patriarchy. FSACC’s feminist approach to the elimination of sexual violence also values the experience of men, children, and other groups who are affected by our society’s acceptance of sexual violence. FSACC continues to form partnerships with many community groups and stakeholders who want to join the fight against sexual violence. While there is no doubt much work to be done, FSACC still believes strongly in a world free from sexual violence, where all genders are valued equally and all individuals feel safe, empowered, and respected.

Part Five:

CCCCCCoooooommmmmmmmmmmmuuuuuunnnnnniiiiiittttttyyyyyy aaaaaannnnnndddddd Government Resources

http://www.gnb.ca/0055/mental-health-e.asp

*Note: All information listed is accurate as of August 1 st , 2010

Provincial Services

Provincial Website on Sexual Assault www.lets-talk-about-it.ca

Chimo Help Line Inc. A.I.D.S. New Brunswick Toll Free Line: 1-800-667-5005 Hotline 1-800-561-4009

Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic: College of Physicians and Surgeons of 451-9060 New Brunswick 1-800-667-4641

Tele-Care: NB Human Rights Commission 1-800-244-8353 1-888-471-2233

Child Protection Sexually Transmitted Infection Social Development Hotline 1-888-992-2873 1-877-784-1010 After Hours 1-800-442-9799

Public Legal Information Services Executive Council Office PLEIS NB Women's Issues www.legal-info-legale.nb.ca www.gnb.ca/0012/violence

Outreach Program

Acadian Peninsula Kent County 395-6233 743-5449 395-7632 Miramichi Campbellton 778-6496 790-1178 Moncton Chaleur Region 855-7222 545-7876 Saint John Charlotte County 632-5616 466-4842 634-7571 649-2580 Edmundston/Grand Falls/ 634-7570 (crisis) St. Quentin 263-0888 Shediac Region 740-4888 533-9100

Fredericton Sussex 458-9774 433-6579

Kennebecasis Valley Woodstock 847-6277 328-9680

Family Law Website A website for family law information, online resources, annotated court forms, video clips and FAQ’s.

www.familylawnb.ca

Region 1

Counties: Kent, Westmorland, Albert Communities: Moncton, Richibucto, Bouctouche, Shediac, Sackville

Health Facilities Moncton Hospital 857-5111 Dr. Georges L. Dumont Hospital ER 857-5353 862-4000 Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Stella-Maris-de-Kent Hospital Albert County Hospital (Saint-Anne-de-Kent) 24 hour services 24 hour services 882-3100 743-7800 Sackville Memorial Hospital Health Services Centre - Rexton Facility 24 hour services 8:00am - 4:00pm 364-4100 523-7940 Petitcodiac Health Centre Shediac Medical Centre 8:30am - 4:30pm 9:00am – 9:00pm 756-3400 533-7000 Université de Moncton Health Services Mount Allison Student Health Centre (for students) (for students) 858-4007 364-2163

Police/RCMP

Emergency Non-emergency RCMP reports 911 1-800-665-6663 Codiac Regional RCMP (Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe) District 4 (Cap Pélé, Port Elgin, Sackville, Non-Emergency : 857-2400 Memramcook) Victim Services (Codiac RCMP): 857-2452 Non-Emergency: 533-5151

District 5 District 11 (Richibucto,Bouctouche, Rogersville, (Hillsborough, Irishtown, Petitcodiac) Baie-Sainte-Anne) Non Emergency: 387-2222 Non Emergency: 523-4611

Outreach Workers Moncton: Kent County : Shediac: 855-7222 743-5449 533-9100

Transition Houses/Emergency Shelters for Women Provides safe shelter and support for women and children living with family violence. 24 hour services Crossroads for Women Inc. Crossroads - Second stage Crisis Line: 853-0811 857-4211 Office: 857-4184 Serenity House Oasis House - Second Stage 743-1530 743-5449 Services/Coalition Community Mental Health Centres Promote mental health and emotional well-being be offering programs and services such as crisis intervention, violence prevention and rehabilitation.

Moncton Richibucto Sackville 856-2444 523-7620 364-4082

Mobile Crisis Unit 1-866-771-7760

Victim Services – Public Safety Provides support for victims, referrals to other services and support through the court process, assistance with victim impact statements, and information on compensation.

Moncton 856-2875

Shediac Richibucto 533-9100 523-7150

Bouctouche Elsipogtog 743-7493 523-4747

Sexual Health Centre Sexual health services are for individuals 24 years of age and younger. Anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for all ages.

Moncton 856-3310

First Nations Child & Family Services

4 Directions Child & Family Services Elsipogtog Child & Family Services (Bouchtouche) 523-8224 743-2171

Other Community Services

Centre de prévention de la Family Services Moncton violence de Kent 857-3258 743-5449

Services: Individual and family Services: Supports victims of family counselling. violence and offers public education programs.

Beauséjour Family Crisis Resource Centre Help 24 533-9100 859-HELP (4357) Services: Offers information, intervention Services: Suicide crisis help line from and referral services to individuals and 4:00 p.m.- 8:00 a.m., 7 days a week. families in crisis.

Greater Moncton Support for Single Parents Family Resource Centre 858-1303 384-7874 Services: Offers a variety of support services for single parents. Services: Free programs to families with children 0 to 6 years of age.

Kent Family Resource Centre 524-9192 or 743-8444

Services: A permanent, bilingual resource and social action program for families with children ages 0 to 6 years.

Region 2

Counties: Kings, St. John, Charlotte Communities: Saint John, Rothesay, Westfield, Hampton, Sussex, St. Stephen, St. George, St. Andrews, Campobello, Grand Manan, Deer Island

Health Facilities

Saint John Regional Hospital 648-6000 St. Joseph’s Hospital Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners 632-5555 Sexual Assault Response Team St. Joseph’s Community Health Centre Campobello Health Centre 632-5537 752- 4100

Charlotte County Hospital (St. Stephen) Deer Island Health Centre 465-4444 747-4150

Fundy Health Centre (Black’s Harbour) Grand Manan Hospital 456-4200 662-4060

Sussex Health Centre UNB Saint John Student Health Centre 432-3100 648-5656

Police/RCMP Emergency – 911 Non-emergency RCMP – 1-800-665-6663 or number at district/detachment

RCMP District 1 RCMP District 3 Non-emergency 755-1130 Non-emergency 832-6600

Campobello, Deer Island, Grand Manan, Sussex, Westfield St. Andrews, St. Stephen, Pointe Lepreau)

Saint John Police Force Rothesay Regional Police Force Family Protection & Youth Unit: 648-3303 847-6300 Domestic Violence Unit & Victim Services: 848-6623 Sexual Abuse Team: 648-3348 Victim Services: 648-3269

Outreach Workers Saint John Domestic Family Violence Outreach Family Violence Outreach Violence Outreach (Sussex) (Charlotte County) 632-5616 433-6579 466-4842 KV Outreach 847-6277

Transition Houses/Emergency Shelters for Women Provides safe shelter, support and counselling for women and children living with family violence.

Sussex Vale Fundy Region Hestia House Transition House Transition House (Saint John) Business Line: 433-1649 (St. Stephen) Crisis Line: 432-6999 Hotline : 634-7570 466-4485 Outreach: 434-5440 Office: 634-7571

Community Mental Health Centres Promotes mental health and emotional well-being be offering programs and services such as crisis intervention, violence prevention and rehabilitation.

Saint John North Head St. George 1-800-667-5005 or 662-7023 755-4044 658-3737 St. Stephen Sussex Mobile Crisis Unit 466-7380 432-2090 1-866-771-7760

St. Stephen Saint John Sussex 466-7414 658-3742 433-7700

Sexual Health Centres Sexual health services are for individuals 24 years of age and younger. Anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for all ages.

St. Stephen Saint John 466-7332 658-3998

Other Community Services

Coverdale Centre Saint John Suicide 634-1649 Crisis Intervention Line Crisis Line: 633-0001 Services : Provides programs and services Hours: 5:00 p.m.-12:00 am for women who have been in conflict with the law.

Second Stage Housing Inc. (Saint John) Family Plus Life Solutions 632-4289 634-8295

Services: Safe, affordable housing and Services : Programs and services for on-going support and programs to abused individuals and families such as women and children. counselling, mediation, etc.

Family Resource Centre of The Family Resource Centre Saint John Charlotte County 633-2182 465-8181

Kings County Family Resource Centre 433-2349 Toll Free : 1-800-573-8800

Region 3

Counties : Queens, Sunbury, York, Carleton, Victoria Communities : Fredericton, Oromocto, McAdam, Harvey Fredericton Junction, Gagetown, Minto, Chipman, Boiestown, Doaktown, Stanley, Woodstock, Perth Andover, Plaster Rock

Health Facilities

Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital (Fredericton) Oromocto Public Hospital 452-5400 357-4700 Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners

Noreen-Richard UNB Student Health Centre Health Centre The Morgentaler Clinic 453-4837 474-4611 451-9060 (serving Francophone population)

McAdam Health Centre Harvey Health Centre Stanley Health Centre 784-6300 366-6400 367-7730

Queens North Nackawic Health Centre Chipman Health Centre Health Centre 575-6600 339-7650 327-7800

Fredericton Junction Health Central Miramichi Boiestown Health Centre Centre Community Health 369-2700 368-6501 Centre (Doaktown)

365-6100

Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph Tobique Valley Hospital Upper River Valley Hospital (Perth-Andover) (Plaster Rock) 375-5900 273-7100 356-6600

Police/RCMP Emergency – 911 RCMP Non-emergency – 1-800-665-6663 or number at district/detachment Fredericton City Police 460-2300 District 2 Chipman, Gagetown, District 10 Keswick Ridge, District 6 District 7 Plaster Rock, Tobique, McAdam, Minto, New Doaktown Woodstock Perth Andover, Maryland, Oromocto, 843-9400 325-3000 Stanley 473-3137

357-4300

Woodstock Town Police 325-4601

Outreach Workers Fredericton Woodstock 458-9774 325-9680

Transition Houses/Emergency Shelters for Women Provides safe shelter, support and counselling for women and children living with family violence.

Women in Transition House Gignoo Transition House (Fredericton) (Fredericton) 458-1236 or 1-800-565-6878 459-2300 (Crisis Line) 457-2770 (Office) Services : Provincial service for aboriginal women and their children.

Grace House: Emergency Shelter for Sanctuary House (Woodstock) Women (Fredericton) 325-9452 450-3001

Services : Homeless shelter for women

Chrysalis House (Youth in Transition) Liberty Lane Second Stage Housing 451-4767 458-9774 or 451-2120

Services : For girls aged 16-19

Community Mental Health Centres Promotes mental health and emotional well-being be offering programs and services such as crisis intervention, violence prevention and rehabilitation.

Fredericton: Woodstock Grand Falls Perth-Andover Adult Services: 453-2132 325-4419 475-2440 273-4701 Child & Family : 444-5337

Mobile Crisis Team Fredericton: 453-2132

Fredericton 453-2768 Woodstock : 325-4422

Burton : 357-4035 Perth-Andover 473-7706

Sexual Health Centres Sexual health services are for individuals 24 years of age and younger. Anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for all ages.

Fredericton Minto 453-5200 339-7079

First Nations Child & Family Services

St. Mary’s Oromocto Kingsclear 452-2750 357-1027 363-4008

Tobique Woodstock 273-5405 325-3572

Other Community Services

Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Family Enrichment Crisis Line: 454-0437 & Counselling Services Business Line: 454-0460 458-8211

Services: Individual counselling for female Services : General Counselling; Parenting survivors of sexual assault. Programs; etc

Military Family Resource Centre UNB Counselling Services 422-2000 ext.3352 453-4820

Services : Short-term counselling, Referral Services : Counsellors will help STU or Service, Day Care, Support Groups. For UNB university students (part-time or full- military families. time) with any type of problem - personal or academic.

Multicultural Association of Fredericton 454-8292 Fredericton Counselling Centre 459-3992 Services: Assists new arrivals in the community by providing referral services with respect to legal aid, tax aid, human rights, refugee assistance, and language orientation.

Fredericton Native Friendship Centre 459-5283 Fredericton Regional Family Services : Provides assistance to off- Resource Centre reserve aboriginal people and their 474-0252 families for education, employment and social programs.

Care 'N Share Family Resource Centre Valley Family Resource Centre Chipman Woodstock 339-6726 325-2299

Region 4

Counties : Madawaska, Restigouche-West, Victoria-North Communities : Edmundston, Saint-Jacques, Saint Joseph, Saint-Basile, Rivière Verte, Sainte-Anne, Saint- Léonard, Saint-André, Drummond, Grand Falls, New Denmark, Plaster Rock, Perth, Saint-Quentin, Kedgwick and Saint-Jean Baptiste

Health Facilities

Edmundston Regional Hospital Grand Falls General Hospital 739-2200 473-7555

Sainte-Anne Health Centre Saint-Quentin Facility 445-6200 235-2300

Police/RCMP

Emergency – 911 RCMP Non-emergency – 1-800-665-6663 or number at district/detachment

Edmundston Police Department Grand Falls Police Department 739-2100 475- 7767

District 9 District 10 (St. Quentin) (Grand Falls, St. Leonard) 789-6000 473-3137

Outreach Worker Edmundston-Grand-Sault/Grand Falls-St-Quentin : 263-0888 740-4888

Transition Houses/Emergency Shelters for Women Provides safe shelter, support and counselling for women and children living with family violence.

L’Escale Madavic (Edmundston) 739-6265

Community Mental Health Centres Promotes mental health and emotional well-being be offering programs and services such as crisis intervention, violence prevention and rehabilitation.

Perth-Andover Edmundston (Satellite Clinic) 735-2070 273-4701

Kedgwick Grand Falls 284-3431 475-2440

Edmundston : Grand Falls : 735-2543 473-7706

Sexual Health Centres Sexual health services are for individuals 24 years of age and younger. Anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for all ages.

Edmundston Grand Falls 735-2065 475-2241

Other Community Services

Madawaska- Victoria Family Resource Centre 473-6351 1-866-905-9900

Region 5

Counties : Restigouche-east Communities : Campbellton, Dalhousie, Jacquet River

Health Facilities

Campbellton Regional St. Joseph Hospital Jacquet River Hospital (Dalhousie) Health Centre 789-5000 684-7000 237-3222

Police/RCMP

Emergency – 911 RCMP Non-emergency – 1-800-665-6663 or number at district/detachment

District 9 Campbellton, Dalhousie : 789-6000

Outreach Worker

Campbellton 790-1178

Transition Houses/Emergency Shelters for Women Provides safe shelter, support and counselling for women and children living with family violence.

Maison Notre Dame House (Campbellton) 753-4703

Community Mental Health Centres Promotes mental health and emotional well-being be offering programs and services such as crisis intervention, violence prevention and rehabilitation.

Campbellton : 789-2440

Campbellton: 753-4703

Sexual Health Centres Sexual health services are for individuals 24 years of age and younger. Anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for all ages.

Campbellton: 789-2348 Dalhousie : 684-7505

First Nations Child & Family Services

Eel River Bar 684-5654

Other Community Services

Restigouche Family Restigouche Family Services Crisis Interveners 753-4161 759-6683

Region 6 County : Gloucester Communities : Bathurst, Caraquet, Shippagan, Lamèque, Tracadie-Sheila.

Health Facilities

Bathurst Regional Hospital Pacquetville Facility 544-3000 764-2424 Caraquet Facility Pointe-Verte Facility 727-3435 783-4292

Lamèque Facility Tracadie-Sheila Facility 344-2261 394-3000 Miscou Health Centre 344-3434

Police/RCMP

Emergency – 911 RCMP Non-emergency – 1-800-665-6663 or number at district/detachment

District 8 RCMP Bathurst City Police Caraquet, Lamèque, Neguac, Shippagan 548-0420 393-3000

Outreach Worker Chaleur region Acadian Peninsula: 545-7876 395-6233 or 395-7632

Transition Houses/Emergency Shelters for Women Provides safe shelter, support and counselling for women and children living with family violence.

L’Accueil Sainte-Famille Maison de “Passage” House (Tracadie-Sheila) (Bathurst) 395-1500 546-9540 Geographical Area: Acadian Peninsula; all Geographical Area: Chaleur region, areas north and east of Neguac, St.- Belledune to St-Saveur to Pokeshaw Isidore, up to Miscou

Community Mental Health Centres Promotes mental health and emotional well-being be offering programs and services such as crisis intervention, violence prevention and rehabilitation.

Bathurst Caraquet 547-2038 726-2030

Shippagan Tracadie-Sheila 336-3061 394-3760

Bathurst Tracadie-Sheila 547-2924 394-3690

Sexual Health Centres Sexual health services are for individuals 24 years of age and younger. Anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for all ages.

Bathurst: 547-2139

Other Community Services Sexual Assault Crisis Line 395-3555

Chaleur Family Resource Centre Caraquet Family Resource Centre 545-6608 727-1860

Acadian Peninsula Family Services Nepisiguit Family Services 727-1866 546-3305

84 Region 7

County : Northumberland County Communities : Miramichi, Blackville, Rogersville

Health Facilities

Miramichi Regional Hospital Facility Baie Ste. Anne Health Center 623-3000 228-2008

Neguac Health Centre Blackville Health Center 776-3876 843-2910

Rogersville Health Center 775-2030

Police/RCMP

Emergency – 911 RCMP Non-emergency – 1-800-665-6663 or number at district/detachment

District 5 District 6 District 8 Rogersville, Baie-Ste-Anne Blackville, Sunny Corner Neguac 523-4611 843-9400 393-3000

Miramichi Police Department 623-2100

Outreach Worker

Miramichi 778-6496

Transition Houses/Emergency Shelters for Women Provides safe shelter, support and counselling for women and children living with family violence.

Miramichi Emergency Shelter for Women 622-8865

Community Mental Health Centres Promotes mental health and emotional well-being be offering programs and services such as crisis intervention, violence prevention and rehabilitation. Miramichi 778-6111

Miramichi 627-4065

Sexual Health Centres Sexual health services are for individuals 24 years of age and younger. Anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for all ages.

Miramichi 778-6107

First Nations Child & Family Services

Eel Ground Red Bank Burnt Church Child & Family Services Child & Family Services Child & Family Services 627-4638 836-6163 776-1249

Other Community Services Miramichi Youth House, Inc. 624-9909 Le cercle familiale/A Family Place Services : Transitional housing services, 622-5103 16-24 years old and Outreach/resource services.