SEXUAL ASSAULT SUPPORT CENTRE OF OTTAWA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 20th, 2021
The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa (SASC) – Reflects on the Canadian Armed Forces Long Waited Apology to Victims of Sexual Misconduct
Ottawa, ON – On December 13th, Canadian Armed Forces issued a historic and long-waited apology to victims and survivors of military sexual misconduct. Defence Minister Anita Anand alongside other members of the Department of National Defence acknowledged the missteps and failures that have been a roadblock in the ability for survivors to seek appropriate healing, justice and accountability.
This apology comes after a year in which The Canadian Armed Forces and the military community at large have grappled with what is considered to be a crisis of sexual misconduct amongst it’s ranks. SASC Ottawa began offering information about our unique services in 2018/2019 to members of the Canadian Armed Forces, their family and community. With keen interest from the Canadian Armed Forces, buttressed by their own contribution to adequate programming, SASC has been able to provide individual, group, phone and text support to members of the military community, with an increasing demand for these services.
While SASC Ottawa aligns with the step taken in the right direction by the Canadian Armed Forces to confront issues of sexual misconduct, we continue to look forward to providing needed supports and services to survivors and equal or greater enthusiasm and continuous effort on the part of the Canadian Armed Forces to meet the ultimate goal of eradicating sexual and gender based violence in our community, for as long as this is needed.
“SASC Ottawa commends the Department, the Honourable Minister and all who have done their part to acknowledge the impact that sexual violence and gender based violence can and has had on survivors. This acknowledgment will go a long way to sensitizing our community at large, to the fact that there is a public interest in seeking out supports for survivors, preventing and addressing sexual violence and gender based violence. It is a societal ill, which cuts across individuals and communities and which should therefore be addressed cross-sectionally” says Ezioma Nnorom, the Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa.
For more information please reach out to:
Amina Doreh – Public Education & Media Coordinator – SASC Ottawa
(613)914-5855
(613)725-2160 x233
Publiceducation@sascottawa.com
More information about SASC Ottawa’s services can be found here
