Learning is healing: Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Education Initiative

The Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Education (SSVE) Initiative was formed in partnership between Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan (SASS) and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations to address the significant need for educational programming that addresses the intersectional forms of sexual violence experienced in Saskatchewan by various marginalized groups.

Based on previous research conducted by Umereweneza et al. (2019, 2020) and the Sexual Violence Action Plan (SASS, 2019), we identified a need for evidence-based and trauma-informed educational programming that better understands the complex historical and social dynamics contributing to the continued and disproportionate victimization of targeted groups.

We believe that promising practices identified by survivors, service providers, and community members must be embodied into sexual violence programming to address the gaps in knowledge and practice.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need for remote delivery of education and training initiatives that can adapt to changing conditions. Guided by evidence-based research, our initiative is committed to embodying equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization (EDID) principles to address the diverse neo-colonial dynamics that contribute to continued and disproportionate victimization of minoritized groups.

The SSVE initiative consists of three main phases:

Phase 1: Research

During the research phase, SASS partnered with the Community-University Institute for Social Research at the University of Saskatchewan to document currently available sexual violence education programming, identify gaps and lessons learned. We also catalogued promising educational programs in the literature and proven practices from provincial and national initiatives. Saskatchewan-based sexual violence education needs were determined through data collection from online surveys, environmental scans, literature reviews, key informant interviews, and focus groups across SASS member agency communities. The research phase concluded in March 2023, and findings were published in the “Learning is Healing” report.

Read the executive summary here: Learning is Healing – Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Education

Read the full report: Learning is Healing – Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Education Initiative

Phase 2: Saskatchewan Sexual Violence Education Framework

Research by Tabassum et. al (2023) informed the development of the Saskatchewan Sexual Violence (SSVE) Framework to fill the gaps in sexual violence education in the province. The SSVE framework is a living and evolving framework that currently outlines 13 age-appropriate and culturally inclusive sexual violence educational workshops. \

Phase 3: Content Development and Pilot Program

In the final phase of this initiative, we will undertake workshop development. A pilot training will be conducted with member agencies, and digital resources will be shared with the community. This phase will also focus on developing mechanisms for remote delivery of education and training to address the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.