AVALON CENTRE SOCIETY
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Mission Statement
Using a feminist lens* to analyze and respond to sexualized violence/abuse and other forms of oppression, we offer a continuum of specialized services, with an emphasis on support, counselling, education, immediate medical care, forensic evaluation, leadership, and advocacy. Our services are available to those affected by all forms of sexualized violence/abuse, their families, the general public, and other support/service providers.
About This Cause
Avalon Sexual Assault Centre is a non-profit, community-based organization working to eliminate sexual assault/abuse. As professional counsellors, educators, health practitioners and activists, we are committed to providing a leadership role in the community, raising awareness and supporting those who have experienced sexualized violence. Avalon has been at the forefront of direct service delivery, social justice advocacy, education, professional training and support for victims and survivors of sexualized violence since 1983. We are the only sexual assault centre in HRM and the longest running full-spectrum sexual assault centre in Nova Scotia. The #MeToo movement combined with a number of high profile sexual assault cases in the media has coincided with a continuing increase in demand for our services. Survivors of sexualized violence are increasingly standing up, speaking out and asking for support. We rely on the support of the community to ensure we are there to provide it. OUR CORE PROGRAMS TRAUMA-SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC COUNSELLING PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS Avalon’s specialized Therapeutic Counselling Program serves female youth, women and trans clients, age 16 and older, who have experienced a recent or past sexual assault, sexual harassment and/or childhood sexual abuse. We also provide information sessions to the non-offending parents of children who have disclosed sexual abuse, and to supportive partners of clients accessing services. Avalon receives hundreds of new counselling requests each year. Over the past 20 years, the Counselling Program has served over 6,000 clients through the provision of more than 27,000 specialized individual therapeutic counselling sessions and nearly 700 group program sessions. SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINERS PROGRAM The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program is a trauma-informed, client-centered care model where the victim/survivor directs all aspects of care. A SANE is a registered nurse who has advanced training and education in forensic examinations of sexual assault victim/survivors. The SANE program provides important health information, medical intervention and forensic evidence collection to people of all genders up to five days after an assault has occurred. Our SANE nurses respond to the Emergency Departments of HRM hospitals and health centres 24/7 to provide medical follow up and/or forensic evidence collection. They furthermore provide supportive follow-up with the victim/survivor, testimony in a court of law, and storage of forensic evidence for up to six months without police involvement. PREVENTION,INTERVENTION AND AWARENESS Avalon conducts educational community outreach and public awareness campaigns with the goal of effecting social and systemic change. We offer prevention-based workshops in schools and youth-serving organizations, professional training sessions, and community meetings/consultations. Because sexualized violence is a criminal offence, legal education is an important component of Avalon’s educational programs. We provide information and training regarding sexual assault laws, consent, age of consent, mandatory reporting, and the legal process after sexual assault. This work also includes public awareness education campaigns like the award-winning I Don’t Owe You campaign.