• This is one of our first initiatives and resources addressing sexual harassment in the workplace. This educational poster campaign not only advocates for existing services, but guides individuals through the appropriate measures to take as they navigate this system. Currently posters can be found in workplaces across Eastern Nova Scotia. If you would like a printed copy for your workplace, please get in touch. A link to the free PDF is available here.

• Violence Free Nova Scotia is a campaign that aims to help break the cycle of violence in Nova Scotia. Currently, its focus has three streams:

1. No More Trafficking: This first branch of workshops deals with human trafficking and sexual exploitation. These 30-minute workshops and presentations are delivered to hospitality workers across the Strait Area, teaching staff skills to prevent trafficking and the steps to take in response.
2. Responding to Disclosures: This second set of trainings is delivered to clerical workers across the Strait Area, who are often the first to respond to cases of sexual violence. While each survivor and case are unique, these workshops include the basic tools and resources needed to confidently and safely respond to disclosures.
3. Workplaces Free from Violence: This third branch of workshops are delivered to workplaces across the Strait Area to create atmospheres conducive to zero tolerance of harassment of all kinds. This includes covering the steps to take in filing a complaint, as well as creating and instating workplace violence policies. Participating workplaces are visible through the display of “Violence Free Nova Scotia” logos in their window.

• Multisectoral collaboration and referral are two of the most important elements of effective response and prevention systems. For one, oftentimes victims/survivors present themselves at one service (e.g. physician’s office), yet require another, or more than one (e.g. safety, social support, economic security, housing, legal protection, and so forth). In fact, research illustrates that victims/survivors who experience the most beneficial support and successful recovery are those who receive services from multiple providers. Similarly, while victims/survivors may present themselves for assistance at one service, their needs may be best met by another agency or service provider. For instance, if a victim/survivor discloses, yet that individual lacks requisite training, further victimization and re-traumatization are possible. In such situations, the informal support or provider is also at risk for burnout or secondary traumatization, especially if they are a victim/survivor themselves. Therefore the following Guide for Community Support Services in the Strait Area was created to equip victims/survivors, community members, providers, and informal supports with the information that they need to effectively and efficiently refer victims/survivors to appropriate services. In doing so, it is our hope to continue supporting collaborative, multisectoral response and prevention systems throughout the Strait Area. If you would like printed copies of this resource, please see the contact information below. A link to the PDF Strait Area Sexual Assault Referral Guide is also available here.

• Globally, response and prevention initiatives often gravitate toward response, focusing on the steps to take immediately after the incident has occurred. This pilot project, however, involves looking at sexual violence as the global public health, development, and human rights issue that it is, and beginning to think through the ways that Strait Area communities can prevent sexual violence from happening in the first place. Our first project is a Community Resource Guide developed for all community members, which discretely incorporates resources that could be utilized in primary prevention (i.e. before violence has occurred), secondary prevention (i.e. immediately after violence has occurred), and tertiary prevention (i.e. long-term resources after violence has occurred). In doing so, not only is the resource discrete, but it also has the capacity to reach, and plausibly assist, a much wider population. Likewise, it recognizes the multifaceted needs of victims/survivors (e.g. legal, housing, medical, childcare, etc.), while simultaneously acknowledging communities’ own infrastructure and capacity to implement services. To date, a Community Resource Guide has been created for the Antigonish Area. This is the initial step of our pilot project, as we continue to meet, speak, and work with service providers from communities across the Strait Area, gathering information for Guysborough, Richmond, and Inverness’ guides. The final guides will be posted here, and continuously updated, however, please check back regularly as a Strait Area Community Resource website will be created in coming months. Here, residents will be able to easily access the information on available services and resources presented in the guides through an independent website that connects them to needed services and information. For now, a link to our first guide, the Antigonish Town and County Community Resource List, is available here.

Other Resources

Program PowerPoint Presentation

Guide to the Survivor Support Model (Guysborough)

Guide to the Survivor Support Model (Richmond)

Guide to the Survivor Support Model (Inverness)

Guide to the Survivor Support Model (Antigonish)

For more information call us at 1-866-330-5952 or Contact Us.