• Available to those 13 years and older
• Must reside in the Interlake Eastern Region of Manitoba
• Any gender
• Any income level – counselling is always free and confidential
• Experienced sexual violence as a teen or adult which may include any of the following: sexual assault, violence, coercion. harassment, sexual abuse in a relationship, digital sexual violence (including non-consensual image sharing, sextortion, unsolicited receipt of sexual images, etc.), sex trafficking, sexploitation, or an experience that the individual defines as sexual in nature. We work beyond the scope of the Criminal Code definition of sexual assault, recognizing that any instance of sexual violence can be incredibly impactful, regardless of their legal definition.

Individual counselling sessions are held in-person, through encrypted video, or via phone.

In-person sessions are held in various locations throughout the Interlake-Eastern area, by partnering with other agencies or healthcare centres to establish a comfortable, confidential space to meet with our counsellors.

We have an office in Pinawa, and strong relationships with spaces in Selkirk, Pine Falls, Stonewall, and Beausejour and will book meeting rooms at hospitals or coordinate space in other communities as needed. We always strive to travel to the home community of the individual receiving counselling whenever possible, to reduce barriers to transportation.

First, a counsellor will briefly talk to you and ask basic questions like your name, age, and address. Then, they will describe the SARAH program to you, making sure you know that it is meant specifically for people affected by sexual violence. They will ask you if this sounds like the type of counselling you are looking for. You can answer this question yes or no and do not have to give any further details about your experience.

Next, the counsellor will ask some questions to understand more about what’s going on for you right now that has caused you to seek counselling and how you’ve been managing things so far. This is to get to know you a little bit more and understand which of our counsellors have the knowledge to support you best. All questions are optional to answer.

Finally, the counsellor will want to know how you prefer to have counselling appointments (in-person, by phone, or virtually) and what your availability is like. You may schedule a next appointment with the counsellor right then, or, another counsellor will contact you shortly to schedule this.

On your appointments together after that, you and your counsellor will get to know each other and begin to build your counselling relationship. It may be a slow process to feel ok talking with your counsellor and that’s great – you are building trust with a new person to share your thoughts and feelings and that should take time. We don’t want you to rush anything and will go at your pace each session as you lead the conversations.

We also don’t want you to ever feel pressured to share your story – that is a personal decision and you may never end up talking about the details with your counsellor and we respect and honour what you know is best for you.

As sessions progress, you and your counsellor will work on your goals and find what makes you strong, creating safety in the process and opportunities for healing, new coping strategies, and new beginnings.

Call us: 204-753-5353

Anyone who meets the above criteria and would like to speak to a SARAH Counsellor is invited to contact phone our office at 204-753-5353 and leave a message with your contact information. A Counsellor will contact you to set up an appointment.

E-mail us: support@survivors-hope.ca

Alternatively, individuals may wish to email our SARAH Counsellor at support@survivors-hope.ca. A Counsellor will contact you via email to set up an appointment.

Various opportunities to connect with SARAH counsellors are available on a drop-on basis. Use the calendar below to find where our SARAH Counsellor and/or SARAH Wellness Coordinator are available to connect with individuals in the community. Locations vary.