Sexual Assault Counselling

Sexual Assault Counselling (SAC) provides free specialized counselling for women, men, youth and children who have been victims of sexual assault and/or sexual abuse. The program is also available to those who offer support to victims of sexual abuse.

SAC also delivers presentations to enhance community awareness, education and prevention of sexual assault.

Sexual assault is forced participation in any type of sexual activity. It can range from unwanted kissing or touching to forced sexual intercourse. Sexual assault is an act of power and control. It is a crime and the offender is responsible for the behaviour.

Sexual assault can happen to individuals regardless of their gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, financial status or knowledge of sexual abuse. Sexual assault impacts family members and friends, as well as our community.

Everyone reacts differently after an event of sexual assault. Some individuals experience shock, denial, fear, anger, depression, shame, and self blame. All these reactions are normal.

Counselling and therapy may help to lessen these effects and help the survivor realize that the sexual assault is not their fault. Healing can be a challenging process. It is possible to transform from victim to survivor.

SAC does more than counsel victims of sexual assault. The program involves many other aspects including:

Counselling for the family and their supportive friends of sexual assault victims;
Providing education about sexual assault;
Providing prevention education presentations to the community to enhance awareness of sexual assault;
Emphasizing that only Yes means Yes;
Creating an understanding of what sexual violence is;
The issues of consent;
Identifying dating violence;
Identifying sexual harassment;
Recognizing sexual violence within marriage.

Sexual Assault Awareness

The week of May 11 to 15 was Sexual Assault Awareness Week in Saskatchewan, to bring attention to sexual violence in our families and communities.

SIGN Sexual Assault Counselling produced four videos with positive ideas and valuable information. The videos can be viewed below.

Also scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the presentations available to community groups in Yorkton and area when we are able to meet again in person.

Sexual violence is a very real problem:

Research has indicated that one in 10 Canadians reported being sexually abused before they turned 18;
In 49% of all cases of sexual abuse reported to police between 2009 and 2014, the victim was a child under the age of 7, and 26% of all victims were under the age of 13;
In 80% to 90% of cases the offender is known to the child;
Parents including biological, adoptive, step and foster parents were responsible for than half (59%) of all family-related sexual offences and physical assaults against children and youth victims in 2009;
93% of child maltreatment cases are never brought forward to police or child welfare;
The majority of adult survivors of child sexual abuse report that they did not disclose the abuse to anyone when they were children.

Links to resource material:

Colonial Barriers to Supports: The Need for a Holistic Approach to Healing from Sexual Violence

StopItNow.org.uk: What we need to know to protect our children publication

SASS blog: Why survivors stories aren't getting the attention they deserve

SASS blog: The power of believing the stories of survivors

Other resources for downloading are available here.

From the front lines

Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan released a comprehensive report on the issue of sexual violence in our province on April 29, 2020. The aim of this research is to garner a comprehensive understanding of sexual violence in Saskatchewan through an examination of sexual violence experiences and the existing strengths and gaps in service provision.

You can read, print or download the full research report and supporting resources -- Sexual Violence in Saskatchewan: Voices, Stories, Insights, and Actions from the Front Lines -- by clicking the button below, or visit the Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan website at www.sassk.ca.

the full report

Kids Safety video series

Sexual Assault Outreach wants your children to feel safe, self-reliant, and grounded during this time. With children home from school, greater accessibility to Internet usage, and fears and anxieties presenting themselves, this program was designed to help your kids feel empowered and safe.

The Kids Safety series consists of four short videos (under 15 minutes) for children K to 12 years old.

See the videos and supporting resource material.

Kids Safety's fun, conversational style allows kids to learn some basics safety concepts, and can be used as great conversation starters at home. We also provide a Certificate of Completion where their name can be added to indicate they have completed the series. We want children and youth to feel proud they invested time in themselves for safety.

Presentations to community groups

The Sexual Assault Outreach Program believes that education and awareness in our community is such an important factor in preventing sexual violence. The safety of our children, families, and community are the driving factor for the Outreach Program.

Below is a PDF file with a list of presentations available to you and our community. Most of these presentations can be adapted to your organization, client or group's unique needs and can be presented in a multitude of diverse settings, both large and small.

Our goal is to raise awareness, find a safe environment to have conversations, and make our community a healthy place for our children, students, and families.

Our presentation list is still growing so please feel free to ask about any topics. We will updated the list as new presentations are developed. If you have any questions or would like to book a presentation please contact Nicole Prince, Sexual Assault Program Facilitator/Outreach Community Educator, at the numbers or email address at the bottom of the document.

Sexual Assault Counselling

Sexual Assault Awareness

From the front lines

Healthy Adult Relationships and Intimacy

Rock the Talk - Teens

Rock the Talk - Grade School

Rock the Talk - Ages 2 to 5

Kids Safety video series

Presentations to community groups