S- Social Norms that protect against sexual violence

Recommendation

That Violence Prevention Grey Bruce take a leadership role and partner with key community stakeholders to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual violence in the region and the need to change beliefs, attitudes and behaviours to prevent it. This could include:

• Coordinated campaigns during May (designated as Sexual Assault Prevention Month) carried out by diverse service sectors (health, justice, violence against women, education, etc.) and community stakeholders (workplaces, service groups, municipalities, etc).

• Introduction and implementation of effective bystander training approaches across service sectors and in communities.

• Development and implementation of workshops and learning opportunities to improve the understanding of consent for men and women of all ages.

T- Teach Skills to prevent sexual violence

Recommendation

That VPGB take a leadership role and partner with key community stakeholders to implement evidence based skills training opportunities, increase community capacity and prevent sexual violence in the region. This could include:

• Workshops and skills training sessions for parents, teachers, friends, neighbours on how to talk to children and youth about sex, sexual violence and sexual violence prevention, how to respond and support children and youth when they disclose sexual violence, information about community resources and supports.

• Workshops and skills training sessions for youth on healthy relationships, risk factors, sexual violence prevention, where to get help, supporting friends and peers who disclose sexual violence, training for peer mentors and supports.

• Bringing key stakeholders together to develop a plan with the education sector on how best to support educators, students and parents of students develop necessary skills to address and prevent sexual violence.
  

O- Opportunities that empower and support girls and women

Recommendation

That agencies, organizations, community groups, and intersector coordinating bodies (for example: The Poverty Task Force, Children’s Alliance, VPGB, Human Services and Justice Committee, Healthy Communities) develop new approaches to empower and support girls and women living with poverty who are at risk of sexual violence. This could include:

• Development of new leadership and empowerment programs for women and girls in Grey Bruce that include training and information on sexual violence prevention. Include women with lived experience of sexual violence as experts and leaders in training and empowerment programs.

• Improving access and awareness to existing leadership and empowerment programs, and ensuring that information on sexual violence prevention is included in these programs. Include women with lived experience of sexual violence as experts and leaders in training and empowerment programs.

• Action that will strengthen broad connections and engagement at the service and community levels and support a common voice that advocates for policies and investments in poverty reduction, affordable housing, accessible services, and a reduction in the risk of sexual violence for people living with poverty.
  

P- Protective Environments that reduce the risk of sexual violence

Recommendation

• That VPGB and its member organizations provide community workplaces and schools with information, tools, skills training and support to implement policies and practices that will provide protective environments that can prevent sexual violence.

• That police services and the criminal justice system improve their response to victims of sexual violence, provide a trauma and violence informed approach that links victims to community supports and services, and uses existing laws and processes to support justice for victims of sexual violence.

S/V- Support Victims and Survivors to lessen the harm of sexual violence

Recommendation

That VPGB and its member organizations provide leadership to:

• Improve service coordination and improve system navigation for survivors of sexual violence so there is ‘No Wrong Door’ for people who reach out for help to deal with sexual violence.

• Improve awareness and access to existing evidence-based treatment approaches, and work together to address wait times and service gaps
  Support the development of effective local treatment and support options for offenders and those at risk of offending. More supportive services and interventions are needed for young offenders, or young people at risk of offending to help them in order to prevent future sexual violence.

• Look at joint training opportunities and broad implementation of trauma and violence informed treatment and service responses that reduce the risk of re-traumatizing victims, and reduce the fear and stigma that survivors experience.