Public Education & Awareness

• Public awareness is key to ending sexual violence.
• Sexual violence is rooted in various other forms of oppression that keep women marginalized.
• Ending violence against women is necessary and possible.

We emphasize that sexual violence is a systemic problem and not an unfortunate occurrence involving individual survivors. We challenge all forms of oppression that marginalize and contribute to the victimization of all womyn.

Media Engagement

We are busting myths and stereotypes around sexual violence; challenging oppression; and raising awareness on how multiple oppressions marginalize survivors of sexual violence.

We do this through community engagement and activism, engaging the Public Media on issues of violence against womyn, as well as through Social Media tools like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

If media would like to contact SASC’s Public Education coordinator for a comment, please e-mail publiceducation@sascottawa.com  or call at (613)725-2160 x233 and (613)914-5855.

Would you like a representative from SASC to speak at your organization or event?

We accept donations/honoraria for presentations. All donation goes towards public awareness and education material.

High Schools

We welcome invitations to speak to high school students. We have given presentations to Ottawa and surrounding areas’ alternative learning programs, as well as to adult high schools. Topics Include: Healthy sexuality; About sexual violence; Consent; Healthy relationships; How to support a survivor of sexual violence; Boundaries and self-care.

Colleges and Universities

We are always eager to give lectures to colleges and universities on sexual violence, and about our services. Topics include: Reporting sexual assault; Feminist counselling; Supporting a sexual assault survivor.

Community Organizations

We are eager to give presentations regarding our services to community organizations in the Ottawa area. This helps service providers know about the services we offer and expand the options they offer their clients. We also give training to staff in social service agencies on how to best meet the needs of survivors of violence. We have presented to staff members in womyn’s shelters, community health centres, community health clinics, group homes, and other womyn’s centres.

Survivor Information Sessions

Through our information sessions we provide information to survivors on topics such as:

• Anger
• Boundaries
• Healing
• Coping
• How to support a survivor
• Intimacy
• Memories and Flashbacks
• Self Care
• Surviving Sexual Violence

Activism

As part of our awareness raising strategy, we organize and participate in women’s events throughout the calendar year. We take part in Women’s Events Network (WEN) and organize the following events:

• International Women’s Day – March 8th
• The Clothesline Project- During the month of May
• Take Back The Night- In September
• December 6th (National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women) – December 6

SASC also takes part in various campaigns aimed at ending violence against women. The following is a list of campaigns that SASC is currently involved in.

• Step It Up Campaign
• Draw The Line Campaign