You Are Not Alone: Finding Support After Sexual Assault

Written By Monica Crawford

*Note that this blog post provides resources primary for those who live in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. If you are within British Columbia, please call 310 Mental Health (310-6789, no area code needed) to get assistance in finding resources local to you. If you are located elsewhere in Canada, please call a local crisis line.

I imagine you’re here because you’ve experienced a sexual assault. I’m so sorry that this is something that you’re having to navigate through. I also want to acknowledge how much strength and courage it takes to even consider getting support. Know that by making it this far, you’ve already begun your healing journey.

It’s completely understandable to want to withdraw after a traumatic event. At the same time, reaching out—to safe people in your life or to supportive services—can be an important part of recovery. Being heard and understood in your experience can ease the weight of isolation, feelings of shame, and the stigma that can surround experiences of sexual assault. Research also shows that loneliness can make trauma symptoms feel heavier, which in turn can deepen feelings of loneliness [1]. No matter if what you went through happened yesterday or many years ago, please know that it is never too late to reach out for help.

Sometimes, survivors hesitate to seek help because they believe others “need it more.” You may even have had the thought: Worse things happen to other people, I don’t want to take away resources from someone else. While that thought comes from a caring place, I want to gently remind you that support services exist for you too. Research has shown that many survivors wrestle with these kinds of worries, and that it can sometimes prevent them from reaching out [2]. In fact, a 2005 study by Logan and colleagues captured this so clearly. Participants described feeling like services were only meant for those in crisis immediately after an assault, or that too much time had passed for them to ask for help. Others shared guilt about taking up a spot when they believed someone else had it “worse.” One participant even summed up what many others echoed: the message survivors most need to hear is, “Anytime is the right time.”

Resources for Immediate Emotional Support

Crisis lines typically answer calls 24/7. Responders are trained to take calls from people after a traumatic event, and some lines specialize in taking calls from survivors of sexual assault. While they are called crisis lines, they are also frequently used for short-term emotional support and guidance to local resources. Responders are there to listen, validate your feelings and experience, and explore your options - which may include seeking medical attention or help you in getting connected to longer-term supports. These services are confidential. Some survivors choose to reach out immediately after the incident, whereas for some it make take months or years. It’s never too late to reach out.

  1. Salal Sexual Assault Centre: 1-877-392-7583 (National, 24/7)

  2. Battered Women’s Support Services: 1-855-687-1868 (Lower Mainland, 24/7)

  3. Greater Vancouver Distress Line: 1-866-661-3311 (24/7)

  4. Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (National, 24/7)

  5. BC Senior’s Distress Line: 604-872-1234 (British Columbia, 24/7)

  6. Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-833-900-1010 (National, 24/7)

  7. French Support Line: 1-855-242-3310 (British Columbia, 24/7)

  8. Seniors Abuse and Information Line: 1-866-437-1940 (British Columbia, Weekdays 8:00am - 8:00pm, Weekends 10:00am to 5:30pm)

  9. Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366 (National, 10am – 6pm Pacific)

  10. Women’s Support Line: 604-987-3374 (British Columbia, 24/7)

Medical Attention

If you have been sexually assaulted within the last 7 days and are 19+, you can call 911 or go to one of the hospitals listed below. Nurses and doctors will explain how they might be able to help and answer any questions or concerns [3]. They will offer to check for injuries, offer to provide preventative treatments for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, and offer to collect forensic samples. Their team will provide you with options, and will respect your choices. Even if you’re not wanting to report, you can ask your care team to preserve any DNA evidence [4]. They will also inform you about your legal options, but as an adult it is your choice whether yo want to report it to the police or not [3].

  1. Vancouver General Hospital's (VGH) Emergency Department (open 24 hours)

  2. UBC Hospital Emergency Department (8 AM t- 8 PM).

Children and youth who require care within 7 days:

If you are 13 - 16 years old, you can call 911 or go to

  1. Vancouver General Hospital's (VGH) Emergency Department (open 24 hours)

  2. UBC Hospital Emergency Department (8am - 8pm).

If you are 13 - 16 years old, you can call 911 or go to

  1. VGH Emergency Department (open 24 hours)

  2. BC Children’s Hospital Emergency Department (open 24 hours)

If you are 12 or younger, you can call 911 or go to 

  1. BC Children’s Hospital Emergency Department (open 24 hours)

Long-Term Support Services

  1. Counselling with a therapist who specializes in sexual trauma (like myself). You can also search for other therapists in Psychology Today, selecting “trauma” as a specialization, and going through individual profiles. Some therapists will list a lot of specialities, which can make it feel confusing if trauma is something they specialize in. You might try to find a therapist who lists it in their top 3 specialities, or if they speak directly to specializing in trauma on their website.

  2. Ishtar Women’s Resource Society (Lower Mainland)

    • For women who are experiencing or have experienced abuse or violence.

  3. Family Services of Greater Vancouver (Vancouver, Richmond, and New Westminster)

    • For women (cis and trans), people of all marginalized genders (including Two-Spirit, non-binary, agender, and gender diverse people), children, youth, and families who are survivors of trauma, sexual abuse, and family violence.

  4. Atria Women's Resource Society (Vancouver)

    • For women and transwomen who have experienced abuse (sexual, physical, emotional) at any age

  5. BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse (Vancouver)

    • For male and male identifying victims of sexual abuse.

  6. Salal Sexual Violence (Lower Mainland)

    • For women, trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse people who have experienced sexualized violence.

  7. Indigenous Counselling Program: Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre (Vancouver)

    • For Indigenous survivors of sexualized violence, self-identified families of the MMIWG2S+, survivors of residential school and/or intergenerational trauma, and childhood sexual abuse

  8. Chilliwack Community Services (Chilliwack)

    • For families, youths, children and youths who have experienced sexual abuse

  9. Chimo Community Services (Richmond)

    • For children, youth, women, and gender diverse adults who are seeking counselling about abuse, sexual assault, grief, and gender-based violence

  10. MOSAIC - Stopping the Violence Program(Vancouver)

    • For self-identified women experiencing or at risk of abuse or violence in an intimate relationship.

  11. SAIP - Family Services of Greater Vancouver (Vancouver, Richmond)

    • For children and youth (up to age 19) who have experienced sexual abuse and their supportive family members.

  12. SARA for Women (Abbotsford, Mission)

    • For any woman who has experienced violence, abuse, and/or trauma in her life.

  13. Vancouver and Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society (Burnaby)

    • For women experiencing any form of abuse or violence, provided in numerous languages. Individual counselling, group counselling, advocacy, crisis intervention and referrals.

  14. Residential Historical Abuse Program (Vancouver)

    • Free counselling for those who were sexually abused while under the care of the province (foster care, group homes, etc.)

Books

  1. The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse

  2. When Love Hurts: A Woman’s Guide to Understanding Abuse in Relationships

  3. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

  4. I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse

Other Resources

  1. Talking to Loved Ones About Sexual Assault | {THE AND} (YouTube Video)

  2. How do you heal after the trauma of a sexual assault? | BBC Sounds (YouTube Video)

Do You Need Support?

I specialize in working with trauma and complex trauma, which can frequently stem from sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse. If you live in British Columbia and are looking for a counsellor, I invite you to book in for a free 20-minute consultation by clicking here. And if I’m not the right fit? I’m always more than happy to make a referral to my trusted network of clinicians.

References

[1] Kachaeva, M., Kharitonova, N., Shport, S., & Shishkina, O. (2021). Mental disorders and psychological problems of women-victims of domestic violence during self-isolation in the covid 19 pandemic. European Psychiatry, 64(S1), S600-S600

[2] Logan, T. K., Evans, L., Stevenson, E., & Jordan, C. E. (2005). Barriers to services for rural and urban survivors of rape. Journal of interpersonal violence, 20(5), 591-616. https://roqhas.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/logan-2005-barriers-to-services-for-rural-and-urban-survivors-of-rape.pdf.

[3] BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre. Sexual assault service. http://www.bcwomens.ca/our-services/specialized-services/sexual-assault-service#At--the--hospital

[4] Vancouver Police Department. Sex Assault. https://vpd.ca/report-a-crime/sex-crime/

*I do my best to ensure my posts are accurate and to cite reputable sources, however if you notice something that needs a correction please reach out to me at monica@beginagaintoday.ca.

Monica Crawford
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