Basis of Unity

OCRCC’s Basis of Unity presents the core values that our members agree upon, uphold, and support.

The Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres believes that:

  1. Sexual violence is an act of power and control and part of the spectrum of gender-based violence. Sexual assault is a violation of human rights and a crime.
  2. Sexual violence is power-based-gender-based, structurally supported and, therefore, political. Unity in this analysis will strengthen our organizations.
  3. We believe colonization and sexual violence are intrinsically linked. The OCRCC commits to anti-racist liberation work, and the dismantling of colonial systems.
  4. All forms of oppression are acts of violence. Sexual and gender-based violence is connected to multiple systemic forms of oppression which affect individuals in intersecting ways. We recognize that gender-based and sexual violence include all forms of exploitation of bodies is tied to colonial, racist, ableist, sexist, genderist, patriarchal and heterosexist beliefs, behaviours, institutions, and systems.
  5. Our commitment to diversity must be reflected in the delegates and the work of the Coalition.
  6. All people who have experienced sexual violence should have the right to receive anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and feminist-based trauma- and violence- informed support to make informed choices and address impacts of their experiences.
  7. A society that values and reinforces inequality between its members perpetuates sexual violence against those that it marginalizes. We believe that eradicating sexual violence means both creating equity in access to resources, and privilege and dismantling colonial, white supremacist and patriarchal influences and systems.
  8. It is essential and crucial to the vision, political analysis, and direction of the OCRCC to recognize the foundational work of Black, Indigenous, racialized, disabled, and immigrant women, Two Spirit, LGBTQ+, transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people in the sexual violence movement. All voices must be heard and will be considered vital members of the organization.
  9. Every person has the right to bodily autonomy, including reproductive rights.
  10. This feminist and equitable political analysis of sexual violence is essential to our organization.