First and foremost, we provide them with support.
Second, our centre provides two very important things to people who have been sexually assaulted. We acknowledge what they have been through and we believe them. We tell them that what happened to them is not their fault. That's an important piece.
Those two important things will determine whether they turn to the justice system or not. Those are two key stepping stones on the path to healing, as they take back control of their lives. Believing that they did nothing to bring this on is crucial. Unfortunately, the way the system is designed, victims are often made to think that they may have somehow been responsible for what happened to them. Victims don't need to hear that again.
What matters most is telling them that we know what happened to them is not their fault. That's really what they're looking for when they come to the centre. We cover that in our prevention efforts, in the assistance we provide and in our advocacy work.