Our Approach
Salal is an intersectional feminist, anti-oppressive, and decolonizing sexual violence support centre.
Our Approach
Salal is an intersectional feminist, anti-oppressive, and decolonizing sexual violence support centre, operating on the stolen and unceded Coast Salish Territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.
Our work is grounded in the understanding that sexualized violence is rooted in systems of oppression, including colonialism, racism, classism, ableism, transphobia, and sexism.
These systems create the conditions for sexual violence to happen and create barriers to safety, healing, and justice.
We are here to support you and to work alongside communities to challenge and transform these systems.
We recognize that colonialism is ongoing, and we are committed to working in ways that are accountable, culturally grounded, and in solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty.
Practicing decolonization means we strive to unlearn colonial ways of thinking, honour Indigenous knowledge, and build relationships with Elders and Indigenous-led organizations.
Our Approach to Support Survivors Is:
Anti-Oppressive
We recognize that violence is not just about individual actions—it is upheld by institutions and systems that devalue and harm people.
Anti-oppression means actively resisting these systems, whether they take the form of racist policies, transphobic healthcare practices, or barriers that prevent survivors from accessing support.
Our commitment is to create environments where survivors are heard, believed, and supported in ways that honour their experiences and dignity.
Intersectional Feminist
We know that no two people experience the world in exactly the same way.
Race, gender, class, disability, sexual orientation, immigration status, and many other aspects of identity shape how people of all marginalized genders experience violence and access support.
Intersectional feminism means understanding these realities and working to remove the barriers that make healing and justice harder to access for those who are most impacted. Our work is survivor-centered, meaning we meet you where you are and honour your needs, choices, and agency.
Trauma-Informed
Trauma does not exist in a vacuum—it is shaped by systemic oppression and structural violence.
A trauma-informed practice means recognizing how trauma impacts individuals, families and communities and often shapes the ways we behave, receive information, and live in the world.
Racism, colonialism, transphobia, ableism, and other forms of oppression create and compound harm.
That’s why trauma-informed support must also be intersectional and anti-oppressive.
At Salal, being trauma-informed means creating spaces that prioritize dignity, choice, and self-determination while actively working to dismantle the barriers that prevent survivors from accessing support.
We don’t tell survivors how to heal—we walk alongside them, offering care, resources, and support as they define their own paths forward.
Our Mandate
Each of Salal’s programs has a distinct mandate, we work specifically with sexual violence—including sexual assault, adult survivors of sexual abuse, stalking, harassment, and non-consensual image sharing.
Crisis Line
Available to all survivors of gender-based violence, as well as their family and community members.
Victim Services
Supports survivors of sexual violence when the violence occurred in Vancouver.
Hospital Accompaniment
Available for survivors aged 14 and up, up to 7 days after an assault, at Vancouver General Hospital, UBC Urgent Care, and BC Children’s Hospital.
Counselling
One-to-one counselling for survivors of sexual violence, including those also experiencing intimate partner violence. Priority is given to survivors living in Vancouver.
Support Circles
Group counselling for survivors of sexual violence, focused on healing in community. Online groups are open to survivors across B.C.
Join Salal As We