About PEIRSAC
PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Centre is a feminist, survivor-centred, non-profit that operates on Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island). We provide therapeutic services, systems navigation, and prevention and education programming to people who have experienced recent or historic sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse.
Our work is grounded in collaboration, survivor autonomy, and sustainable care. We are committed to building spaces that are more culturally responsive, particularly for those who have historically been harmed or excluded by systems meant to support them. We are guided by the belief that healing is both personal and collective.
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A community where all people feel safe and are free from sexual violence.
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To provide safe, supportive programs and services for those impacted by sexual violence, and to educate and advocate to prevent sexual violence.
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Our Mandate reflects a whole-system approach to sexual violence response and prevention, providing individual-level support through services, and advancing systemic change through advocacy and education.
Client Support Services: We provide professional, trauma-informed counselling and systems navigation to support those impacted by sexual violence. Our services help individuals access safety, stability, and the resources they need.
Prevention and Education: We lead innovative community engagement, awareness, and education initiatives that reduce stigma, build capacity, and drive systemic change.
Survivor-Informed Advocacy: We engage in advocacy shaped by survivor experience to influence policies, institutions, and public systems in PEI.
Together, this approach wraps around both the prevention and response to sexual violence and strengthens the broader ecosystem of safety, healing, and prevention across PEI.
For more information, please review our Strategic Plan.
Our History
In 1981, four women, Maureen Hutcheson, Donnie (Mary) Cameron, Dr. Elizabeth Epperly, and Lyle Brehaut, met for lunch at the Confederation Centre 1984 Club in Charlottetown.
Each had recently been approached by someone who had experienced sexual violence. and were distressed by the absence of support. When they tried locating statistics and support services regarding sexual assault in PEI, they found none. When word spread that they were researching, community members began calling them directly, disclosing assaults and asking for help.
It became clear that sexual violence was happening on PEI at rates comparable to the rest of Canada. What did not exist was a coordinated response.
In 1983, the PEI Rape/Sexual Assault Crisis Centre was incorporated.
PEIRSAC’s model of care is rooted in community, collaboration, and sustainability.
At PEIRSAC, our therapeutic approach balances systems navigation, groups, and one-on-one therapy so that more survivors can access support. Evidence-based trauma treatments are structured and goal-oriented. Clear goals, defined timelines, and planned pauses are all important parts of the therapeutic process, so that healing can extend beyond the therapy room and into relationships, culture, and collective strength.
You are the expert of your life. We work collaboratively with you to set goals, build skills, and decide what support makes sense right now. While therapy is a powerful tool, community, culture, and connection are also part of healing.
We understand that survivors, especially Black, Indigenous, and racialized survivors, have often experienced systems that are not safe, not culturally responsive, and not accountable. We are committed to providing trauma-informed, survivor-centred, and culturally aware care that respects your pace and your power.
Our Approach
Who We Work With
We seek to work with individuals aged 12 and above, of all genders, sexualities, races, backgrounds, ages, and beliefs, who have experienced recent or historic sexual assault or childhood sexual abuse. Our role is to provide a non-judgmental space to support your healing.
We also hold a clear boundary in our work. PEIRSAC does not provide services to individuals who have perpetrated or been convicted of sexual violence. While we recognize that people who cause harm, have often experienced harm themselves, this boundary allows us to maintain spaces that are grounded in safety, trust, and survivor-centred care.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”