Ongoing Support
Call our 24-Hour Crisis & Information Line at 604-255-6344 or 1-877-392-7583 for confidential support, resources, and connection to services.
Salal’s Ongoing Support includes:
Individual
Counselling
Group Counselling & Support Circles
Indigenous Support Program
Legal & Reporting Support
Our services are available to women, Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender diverse people, ages 14 and up.
All of our services are free and confidential.
We take intentional steps to ensure our support is not only inclusive, but also affirming and responsive to the specific needs of Indigenous, Black, and peoples of colour, trans and gender diverse survivors, and sex workers, communities who continue to face additional systemic barriers when seeking support.
Every staff member at Salal is committed to providing gender-affirming care.
Whether you are accessing crisis support, counselling, groups, or advocacy services, you will be met with respect, dignity, and an understanding of the barriers Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse survivors often face.
You deserve support that sees you fully—and we are here to provide it.
Our approach is rooted in an intersectional feminist, decolonizing, and anti-oppressive lens framework.
Salal’s team is here to support you, wherever you are in your journey.
You don’t need to be in immediate crisis or danger to reach out.
Whether something happened yesterday or 20 years ago, you can connect with our 24-Hour Crisis and Information Line or Text & Online Chat Support for support, at any stage of your healing.
Text us at 604-245-2425 or chat with us online.
Call our 24-Hour crisis & information line at 604-255-6344 or toll-free 1-877-392-7583.
Free and Confidential Counselling & Support Circles
At Salal, we offer both one-to-one counselling and support circles for survivors of sexualized violence.
Our approach is grounded in intersectional feminism, anti-oppression, and decolonization—not just in name, but in practice.
This means we recognize how systems of oppression shape trauma, and we work to create environments where survivors can heal on their own terms from the sexual and gender based violence they have experienced.
Individual
Counselling
Our counsellors provide survivor-centered support that honours your experiences, choices, and strengths.
Sessions may include talk therapy, art, somatic practices, land-based healing, and other approaches that help reconnect you in mind, body, and spirit.
Counselling at Salal isn’t about “fixing” you—it is about supporting your healing in ways that feel right for you.
Support
Circles
Healing doesn’t have to happen alone.
Our support circles bring survivors together to share experiences, wisdom, and strength in a space led by a trained facilitator.
These groups create community care as an antidote to isolation and systemic violence, helping you and other survivors support one another while navigating the healing journey.
Individual
Counselling
We’re here to support you in ways that honour your experiences, choices and strengths.
We understand that healing from sexualized violence is not about “moving on” but about reclaiming power, reconnecting with yourself, and navigating the ongoing impacts of sexual violence in a way that feels right for you.
In sessions, we focus on:
building tools to manage trauma’s effects and patterns
strengthening a sense of safety in your body and relationships
exploring how systemic violence may be impacting your healing
This work is not about revisiting trauma in harmful ways but about moving toward greater stability, agency, and self-understanding.
Counselling at Salal can include a variety of approaches—talking, psycho-education, somatic practices, art, land-based healing, and more. Our goal is not to prescribe a single path to healing but to support you in choosing what feels most meaningful and empowering for you.
To register for individual counselling, please call our 24-Hour Crisis & Information Line at 604-255-6344 or 1-877-392-7583.
Group Counselling &
Support Circles
Our free support circles (both virtual and in-person) allow survivors to come together, share experiences, and build trust.
Whether you’re seeking tools to support your healing, hoping to better understand the impacts of sexual and gender-based violence, or simply wanting to be in community with others who get it, our groups are here for you.
Healing in community is powerful.
You don’t need to share your story to take part. You just need to bring yourself.
You are welcome here.
Support Circle FAQs
Why Do We Offer Support Groups? - closed
At Salal, we believe that healing from sexual and gender-based violence doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in community.
Our support groups offer a space to learn, reflect, and build strength alongside others who have experienced similar forms of harm.
Our groups are psychoeducational, which means they focus on providing information, tools, and frameworks to help survivors understand the impacts of sexual and gender-based violence.
Through guided learning and reflection, participants gain skills and insights that support their healing journeys, without needing to share personal details unless they choose to.
Why Do We Offer Support Circles?
At Salal, we believe that healing from sexual and gender-based violence doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in community.
Our support circles offer a space to learn, reflect, and build strength alongside others who have experienced similar forms of harm.
Our circles are psychoeducational, which means they focus on providing information, tools, and frameworks to help survivors understand the impacts of sexual and gender-based violence.
Through guided learning and reflection, participants gain skills and insights that support their healing journeys, without needing to share personal details unless they choose to.
What Can You Expect?
- Facilitated and structured. Each group follows a planned curriculum and is led by counsellor facilitators who create a supportive and grounded environment.
- Focused on learning and skill-building. You can expect to explore topics like understanding the effects of sexual and gender-based violence, setting boundaries, grounding techniques, ways to be back in your body safely and systemic roots of harm.
- Rooted in feminist and social justice values. Our groups connect individual experiences to broader systems like patriarchy, colonialism, and racism, helping survivors make sense of what happened in the context of power and inequality.
- Accessible and inclusive. We honour the many identities survivors hold and strive to create a space that is affirming across race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability.
- Respectful of your comfort and choice. Participation looks different for everyone. Whether you’re listening, taking notes, asking questions, or simply showing up, you’re welcome just as you are.
What are the guiding values of support circles?
Salal’s support circles are grounded in our values:
Feminist and Intersectional “The Personal is Political”. Your experience of violence is not just individual—it’s shaped by the systems we live in. Understanding this can be powerful and liberating. Experiences of violence are shaped by overlapping identities. Our groups create space for solidarity, difference, and shared learning.
Non-judgemental and Inclusive. We support each participant in reclaiming their power, building confidence, and making choices that reflect their values.
Survivor Centered. Survivors hold critical knowledge. Your perspective matters, and we honour what you bring to the group. Healing is deeply connected to justice. Our groups offer space to imagine and work toward a world without sexual and gender based violence.
How do I register? What support circles are available this month?
If you are interested in registering for groups or checking out what groups are running this month, you can view a list of current support groups and register online here.
To speak to our support team further about support circles, please call our 24-Hour Crisis & Information Line at 1-877-392-7583.
Indigenous
Support Program
Our Indigenous services are delivered in a culturally affirming, respectful, and healing environment.
We understand the deep impacts of colonization, residential schools, intergenerational trauma, displacement, and sexualized violence.
Our programming is led by Indigenous peoples and grounded in traditional practices and ceremonies.
Who we serve
Self-Identified Indigenous survivors of sexualized violence
Survivors of residential schools, 60’s scoop, intergenerational trauma, or childhood sexual abuse
Services include
Individual Counselling
We work with you to focus on healing, using cultural teachings as a tool of reconnection, and overall well-being, provided in a confidential and nurturing space.
Support Circles & Community Ceremony
We offer a variety of support circles that are rooted in Indigenous healing approaches as well as providing ways for survivors to come together and heal through connection.
We support you in exploring connection and reconnection—to yourself, your community, and your culture.
We work to bridge you to traditional ceremonies and events to help foster healing and a renewed sense of belonging.
Elder Support
We can connect you with an Elder or Knowledge Keeper who can offer guidance, share teachings, lead ceremonies, and provide healing medicines.
Elders hold the knowledge of generations, helping you reconnect with your cultural roots and find strength on your healing journey.
To access the Indigenous Support Program call 604-255-6344 Monday to Friday, 9 AM–5 PM.
Legal & Reporting
Support
We’re here to support you to understand your rights and the legal processes available to you.
We know that navigating legal and criminal systems can raise many questions. We have extensive experience guiding survivors through these processes, so you don’t need to have all the answers. We ensure you have the support you need to make decisions that are right for you, every step of the way.
The services listed below are offered through Salal’s community-based Victim Services Program.
Our services include:
Police Reporting
Whether you choose to report immediately or later, we can guide you through the process and ensure you understand your options.
Anonymous Reporting Assistance
If you prefer not to attach your name, we support you in exploring options for filing anonymous Third Party Reports (TPRs) or Bad Date Reports (BDRs), which allow you to provide information to the police without naming yourself.
Human Rights & Regulatory Support
We offer support for navigating Human Rights Tribunal Cases and guidance on reporting concerns to relevant governing bodies, such as professional colleges.
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Criminal Court Support
We offer a court orientation that explains what to expect if you choose to report your experience or participate in legal proceedings.
If you decide to share your experience with legal professionals, our team supports you during interviews with Crown Counsel and assists with preparing documents like Victim Impact Statements.
Civil Legal Process Assistance
We provide guidance on the civil lawsuit process, offering insight into how this option might work for you.
Assistance is available for completing applications for the Crime Victim Assistance Program, which may offer benefits such as counselling.
You guide the way.
If you would like more details about these processes or wish to discuss your options, call our 24-Hour Crisis & Information Line at 604-255-6344 or 1-877-392-7583.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Sexualized Violence?
Sexualized violence is any act—physical, verbal, spiritual, or psychological—that uses sex or sexuality to exert power, control, or cause harm.
You have every right to reach out for support if you’re feeling unsafe, violated, or unsure. You don’t need to have everything figured out to talk to us. We are here for you, and you deserve care, understanding, and a space to be heard.
Call 604-255-6344 in the Lower Mainland or reach our national toll-free line at 1-877-392-7583.
How Do You Know If What You Experienced Was Sexualized Violence?
You have every right to seek support if you feel unsafe, violated, or coerced. Sexualized violence can take many forms, including:
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You have every right to reach out for support if you’re feeling unsafe, violated, or unsure. You don’t need to have everything figured out to talk to us. We are here for you, and you deserve care, understanding, and a space to be heard.
Call 604-255-6344 in the Lower Mainland or reach our national toll-free line at 1-877-392-7583.
Do you need to collect my old name?
No! Salal will never ask for your legal name or sex marker.
We will ask you what name you want us to use for you.
Other places, such as the police department or hospital, might need to collect your legal name and sex marker, but the Salal staff are happy to advocate for the use of your correct name and pronouns wherever possible.
Will you call the police on me?
The decision to call police is always made by survivors at Salal.
We will never call the police due to mental health or suicidal ideation.
Your counsellor, or victim service worker can tell you more about our confidentiality policies, or you can contact our 24-Hour Crisis and Information Line at 1-877-392-7583.
Will Salal support me if I’m a sex worker?
Yes! We understand that there is a strong community connection between trans people and sex workers, and that many trans survivors are also sex workers.
In 2018, Salal made an apology to sex workers for failing to support them before, and committed to advocating for the decriminalization of sex work.
We understand that sex work is real, important work and will affirm sex workers in all of our services.
What is Salal’s mandate, and who can access your programs?
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.