From CBC Radio:
On May 11th, NOWC Executive Director Katie Bortolin joined Mary Jean Cormier to discuss Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the programming available to support survivors in Thunder Bay.
Listen to the full interview here: Superior Morning – Sexual Assault Awareness Month
When asked about the programming and supports available at NOWC, Bortolin shared: “At the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre, we support survivors and we support and meet them wherever they are at … if they want to go with the route of formal investigation and evidence collecting, we want to ensure women have information to make informed choices, that they know what supports are available to them, that they know what processes will happen and what wait times will look like …”
“We are also looking to have support groups for survivors and having education-based support going forward” added Bortolin. She added that this programming is done in collaboration and partnership, such as with the Lakehead University Human Rights and Equity office and the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centre at the TBRHSC.
This discussion comes at a time of heighted concern, following an assault in the Boulevard Lake area earlier this month. “Women and girls deserve to live in a just and safe and supportive community, and when random acts of violence happen in our community, it is showing that inequalities are being normalized” says Bortolin.
We are continuing our Sexual Violence Education series this May with two upcoming workshops. Sessions are open to self-identified women and girls (ages 18+) and will take place 6:30-8 pm at the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre (278 Bay St, Suite #201). Dates and session information are listed below:
- Thursday, May 14th: “Supporting Survivors: peer-to-peer support models” in partnership with Human Rights & Equity Office – Lakehead University
- Thursday, May 28th: “SV Kit Procedural: What to Know” in partnership with the SADV Treatment Centre at TBRHSC
Attendance at all sessions is not required. Light refreshments provided. To register, please contact Caro at [email protected] or (807) 935-8042.
Here are resources to organizations supporting and empowering survivors:
- Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada: a national non-profit that provides a unified voice on sexual violence through research, education, advocacy, and policy change, promoting solutions to address its root causes.
- Survivors 4 Justice Reform: a non-profit organization with a collective focus on survivor-led advocacy & voluntary membership with occasional compensated opportunities supported by grants, partnerships & donations.
- Aftermetoo: dedicated to ending sexual violence in the workplace
- Get access to a Restorative Justice International Resource Guide, which includes global organizations, podcasts, books, documentaries and more
- Video: Consent on Stolen Land (Learning Network Forum, 2022)
- Sex Only with Consent! (2021): infographic about what consent is and when consent cannot be given
- The Facts About Sexual Assault and Harassment (Canadian Women’s Foundation)
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