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Support survivors and end sexualized violence.
Prince Edward Island Rape and Sexual Assault Centre (PEIRSAC) is a non-profit, government funded organization
WE ARE FUNDED BY:
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Province of PEI under the Minister for the Status of Women and the Interministerial Women’s Secretariat for annual core operations like Sexual Assault Awareness Week / Take Back the Night
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Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) for the Pathways to Thrive Program
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Canadian Women’s Foundation for Braiding Sweetgrass Program
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Provincial and community-based organizations like United Way PEI and Community Foundation of PEI for short-term projects
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Generous donors like you, made easier through donations via Pay Pal Giving Fund Canada
PEI RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTRE ANNOUNCES “ISLAND SHOT” CAMPAIGN
The Prince Edward Island Rape and Sexual Assault Centre (PEIRSAC) is launching a poster campaign “The Island Shot” to bring in licensed venues across the Island to create a safer drinking culture. Since 2017 the “Angel Shot” has been a code that a patron can use to signal their server that they are in an unsafe situation. Ordering the drink “neat”, and a server will escort the patron to their car, “on the rocks” results in a cab being called, and “with lime” means police intervention, with the server escorting the patron to a safer location.
Prince Edward Island is a community driven province, and PEIRSAC believes that by introducing the “Island Shot”, it calls on all Islanders that work within and frequent establishments that serve alcohol to be mindful of one another, and to create environments that feel safer, and more guided by community care.
Laura K. Bird with PEI Human Rights Commission is the project manager for Workplace Sexual Harassment Project (SHIFT) “The goal of SHIFT is to address and prevent sexual harassment in Island workplaces through awareness, education and training that is tailored for employers, employees, high school students and the general public.” [1] Bird and Hagen feel like “Island Shot” campaign and SHIFT are a natural partnership that focus on creating a permanent “shift” in the normalization of sexual harassment and violence that permeates throughout drinking culture. Bird believes that, “Safe workplaces also include the safety of customers.”
“The goal of this campaign is not to call out any individual bar or drinking establishment, but rather call folks in to create a shift in consciousness when it comes to drinking culture on Prince Edward Island. We all want to have safer venues, and to create a community where we genuinely take care of one another.” - Candace Hagen, Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator with PEIRSAC.
Hagen will be reaching out to licensed establishments across the Island to ask if they would be willing to place Island Shot posters in all of their washrooms, as well as an informational poster behind the bar with emergency contact numbers for staff. Each establishment will have to undergo a training session prior to receiving their posters, carried out by SHIFT project manager, Laura K. Bird, to ensure their staff feel empowered to act in the requested manner of their patron. Hagen is pleased to announce that Upstreet Craft Brewing has already signed onto the project.
Award winning Island musician and anti-violence advocate Kinley Dowling is in full support of the project. “When the Charlottetown drink spiking story was released in November of last year, [2] I knew I would continue to lend my voice to causes that aim to create a safer community. The Island Shot sends a message to everyone that we’re looking out for one another, and that together we can build a stronger, safer province.”
JOIN OUR TEAM
CAREER OPPORTUNITY | Trauma Therapist
The PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Centre (peirsac.org) is a feminist, pro-choice, not for profit organization that has been providing services in PEI since 1983. PEIRSAC offers individual and group therapeutic services to adults and youth of all genders who have experienced recent and historic sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse. PEIRSAC also works in partnership with other community groups across the province in sexual violence prevention initiatives. Workplace wellness is a priority and we provide external clinical supervision and a professional development allowance for each therapist.
Our counselling offices are in three sites: Charlottetown, Summerside and Alberton; because of office space challenges in Charlottetown at the moment, this position is split between our sites in historic, downtown Charlottetown and Summerside.
Job Description
In collaboration with other team members, the candidate will be responsible for providing intake, on-going assessment, and individual therapeutic services. The ideal candidate will have:
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Master’s degree in Social Work, Counselling Psychology, or Clinical Psychology andcurrent (or eligible for) registration with the respective professional governing body
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Minimum two years of individual counselling experience, preferably with survivors ofsexualized violence and/or childhood sexual abuse with complex attachment-related traumas including dissociative coping defenses
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A critical analysis of social/cultural dynamics contributing to sexualized violence andchild abuse and a commitment to anti-oppressive, decolonizing, pro-choice, feminist practice
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Experience working with populations with a variety of lived experience, including newcomers, BPOC, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, and other communities
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A demonstrated facility with multiple modalities for working with survivors of sexualizedviolence, (e.g. Feminist Narrative, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR, CPT, InternalFamily Systems, Compassion-Focused, mindfulness-based approaches)
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A commitment to ongoing professional development (allowance provided)
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A demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and in maintaining a trauma-informed workplace
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Excellent written and oral communication, organizational, and time management skills
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Excellent judgment, reasoning, discretion, and ethical behaviour
Fluency and literacy in English required, and fluency in French or other languages an asset.
PERMANENT FULL TIME - Annual salary range: $73,000-$76,000
Additional benefits: Group health; RRSP; external clinical consultation; professional development
Successful candidates will be required to submit and maintain a clear vulnerable sector police check.
In keeping with our commitment to represent all our communities, Indigenous, francophone, queer-identified, and racialized candidates are especially encouraged to apply.
Please send your resume and cover letter telling us why you feel you are a great fit for this position to:
executivedirector@peirsac.org
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY | Board of Directors
If your values and vision for a community free of sexual violence aligns with ours, we would like to hear from you! The PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Centre (PEIRSAC) vision is a community where all people feel safe and are free from sexual abuse and assault, and where those who have been affected are supported in their healing.
WE BELIEVE THAT:
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Prevention of sexual abuse is everyone's responsibility. The community has a responsibility to support survivors in their healing and to work towards ending sexual violence.
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Sexual assault and sexual abuse are crimes that involve control and power.
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Survivors have the right to receive the support they need to heal from abuse.
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The trauma of sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse can severely impact the quality of life for survivors.
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Ensuring confidentiality and respecting the choices of survivors are top priorities.
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Healing that results in long term enhanced quality of life takes time.
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The impacts of sexual assault and childhood abuse permeate all of society. Sexual violence is a systemic issue.
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All survivors deserve access to services.
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Sexual violence will continue until the root causes of violence against women and children are addressed.
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Working collaboratively with the community is essential to address the needs of survivors.
If you are interested in joining our volunteer board, please email admin@peirsac.org for further information.