Sexual Violence in Ontario

Ending sexual violence will need planning, resources and increased equity. Read our take on provincial politics and policy that affect sexual violence survivors, sexual assault centres, and violence prevention in Ontario.

  • Take Back the Night 2023!

    Since 1976, Take Back The Night occurs internationally each year to raise awareness about gender-based violence, including sexual violence. Learn more about Take Back the Night, or join your [...]

    Published On: September 6, 2023

  • Ontario rejects some recommendations from triple murder inquest jury: Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) responds

      On September 22, 2015, three women were found murdered at separate locations within a 25-kilometre radius of Wilno, Ontario in Renfrew County. In 2017, Basil Borutski was convicted of first-degree [...]

    Published On: July 13, 2023

  • Sexual Violence Advocacy and Campus Communities in Ontario

    Sexual violence can happen anywhere. Yet, colleges and universities in Canada are home to those who are at the highest statistical risk of experiencing sexual violence. Read the brief here. [...]

    Published On: October 12, 2022

  • Hockey Canada and sexual violence: Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) responds

    Hockey Canada continues to face critical reaction to its management of sexual violence. The sports organization – which is responsible for establishing rules and standards, promoting the sport, and international [...]

    Published On: October 11, 2022

  • Papal apology to Indigenous Peoples in Canada: OCRCC responds

    In a visit across Canada, Pope Francis asked for "forgiveness in the name of the church" for its part in Canada's residential school system, the church’s attempts to erase Indigenous [...]

    Published On: August 8, 2022

  • Sexual violence in Ontario: Trends in survivors seeking support

    Sexual assault centres have been operating in Ontario since the 1990s -- some since the 1970s. Since then, the number of survivors accessing crisis support and counselling has multiplied—in some [...]

    Published On: May 2, 2022

  • Recent trends: Sexual violence prevention education

    Education prevents sexual violence: it offers ways to challenge sexual assault myths and victim-blaming, and provide information about consent, your rights and where to get support in your community. In [...]

    Published On: April 26, 2022

  • Sexual Violence Prevention Month 2022 – OCRCC Media Kit

    May is Sexual Violence Prevention Month. Effective sexual violence prevention places #SurvivorsFirst. Scroll down and help get the word out by using these suggested captions and social media images made [...]

    Published On: April 12, 2022

  • Are you a friend of your local community sexual assault centre?

    If yes, help us support sexual violence survivors in our communities. More survivors could be getting support by now. A planned 30% increase to the sexual violence sector was announced [...]

    Published On: April 5, 2022

  • Recent trends: Survivors in our communities

    The Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres includes over 30 community-based sexual assault centres. Centres have continued providing crisis and counselling support to survivors of sexual violence throughout the pandemic, [...]

    Published On: March 29, 2022

  • Pandemic impacts: Supports for Sexual Violence Survivors

    Survivors of gender-based violence in Ontario typically access more than one service, with 39% using between five to seven services (Source: Ministry of Community Social Services Client Satisfaction Survey). In [...]

    Published On: March 24, 2022

  • Bill 251, Combating Human Trafficking Act, 2021: Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres responds

    About us Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) is comprised of 30+ Anglophone community-based sexual assault centres from across Ontario. Member centres have been supporting survivors of sexual violence since [...]

    Published On: July 14, 2021