Victim Services North Grenville

May is Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month. Ontario recognizes this as a month dedicated to raising awareness of issues related to sexual violence and promoting ways to stop sexual violence. Sexual violence takes different forms and can include: -sexual abuse ... -sexual assault -human trafficking -rape -incest -childhood sexual abuse -rape during armed conflict -sexual harassment -stalking -indecent or sexualized exposure -degrading sexual imagery -voyeurism -cyber harassment -sexual exploitation Read more about sexual violence in Canada here: https://www.ontario.ca//get-help-if-you-are-experiencing-v

As you may be aware, recently Victim Services Leeds & Grenville was successful in obtaining funding for a new Human Trafficking program providing support to victims and survivors of human trafficking and ongoing public education to raise awareness surrounding the issue regionally. The Shine Project (Support Hope Independence Empowerment) is a community-based Wellness and Recovery Program drawing on survivor feedback and expertise while utilizing existing community infrastruct...ure to provide longer-term, trauma aware healing opportunities for victims and survivors of human trafficking. The program is meant to be an alternative or supplementary to residential treatment to ensure longer term success and connection to a survivor’s community. To date two peer support workers, a program consultant and a public education coordinator have been hired to facilitate the program. Together we are actively working to develop the program which includes ongoing public education. Before we jump into that piece, we were hoping to learn more about what you already know and what you would like to know! At this time, it would be appreciated if you could take the time to complete the survey we are conducting to gauge current levels of knowledge and perceptions regarding Human Trafficking in Leeds & Grenville. The survey is 10 questions in length and is estimated to take 3 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/VSLGHTsurvey

May is Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month. Ontario recognizes this as a month dedicated to raising awareness of issues related to sexual violence and promoting ways to stop sexual violence. One of the issues related to sexual violence is Human Trafficking. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labour or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide including right here in Ontario. This month, Victim Services Leeds & Grenville will be sharing information and statistics about sexual assault in Ontario to raise awareness. Together, we can support survivors and change the way our communities respond to sexual violence.

Coming up this Thursday. It's a free event, looks really good!

Well, to say this was a surprise is putting in mildly. For years we have been strong advocates for trying to get the provincial government to give our communit...ies a sexual assault crisis centre - like every other community in the province. It's something LG has gone without and that means less services for victims of sexual assault and abuse than every other community around us. This has been a 'many years' conversation with lots of people involved and this current sitting government with this current Attorney General, the honorable Doug Downey, decided to listen and make it happen. I think I'm a little in shock still and could not be more grateful. This service is a joint effort between the Assault Response & Care Centre of Leeds & Grenville and Victim Services. We will work together to help fill some much needed gaps for counseling and peer support services that reach all residents across our region. This would never have happened without the ongoing advocacy of MPP Steve Clark and the assistance of many of our municipal leaders, especially Mayor Nancy Peckford, North Grenville and Mayor Robin Jones. The amount of services we have suddenly been allowed to bring to our communities is outstanding. What a difference this is going to make for all of us! See more

Sonya Jodoin, Executive Director of Victim Services of Leeds and Grenville, joins us on this week's episode of #FYI with Doreen Barnes to discuss a new provincial grant designated for survivors of human trafficking. #Cogeco #YourTV #TrulyLocal #PoweredByVolunteers