In every community, there are organizations quietly doing life-changing work, offering care, advocacy, and hope when it is needed most. The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) is one such organization.
SASC plays a vital role in our region, providing compassionate, trauma-informed support to individuals impacted by sexual violence. Through counselling, crisis response, and prevention programming, they create spaces where survivors are heard, believed, and supported on their healing journey.
Through a grant from the Kindred Charitable Fund, SASC is strengthening its reach and deepening its impact at a time when demand for services continues to grow. This grant will support survivors of human trafficking, individuals facing especially complex and vulnerable circumstances. Importantly, this work is not funded by government programs.
When someone exits trafficking, their immediate needs can be urgent and wide-ranging. The first step is ensuring survivors have a bed to sleep in – either at a shelter, or a local hotel. From there, SASC counsellors walk alongside each survivor, developing personalized housing plans and connecting them to essential supports such as mental health care, addiction treatment, and community-based housing providers.
This work requires flexibility and deep compassion. Survivors may need help with transportation, healthcare, move-in supplies, or even something as simple as a haircut for a job interview. These practical supports, while small on the surface, can make a meaningful difference in rebuilding stability and confidence.
Survivors of human trafficking often do not fare well in mainstream shelters, where safety concerns can persist. Trauma-informed, specialized support is essential in helping individuals safely exit trafficking and begin to rebuild their lives. “Our staff get so excited, because they know the difference they can make in a survivor’s life,” shares Lyndsey Butcher, Director of Care at SASC.
The path to healing is rarely linear. “We are very successful at helping survivors to exit trafficking,” adds Lyndsey. “Rebuilding their lives is a much bigger struggle.” Survivors may spend months in transitional support before moving into stable housing, whether that means returning home, accessing rent-geared-to-income housing, or pursuing other options that align with their goals. SASC supports individuals holistically, helping them work toward education, employment, mental wellness, and, where applicable, family reunification. Each step forward is shaped by the survivor’s own goals and pace.
Each year, SASC supports approximately 150 survivors of human trafficking, primarily women and girls, some as young as 12 years old. Risk factors can include a history of childhood sexual abuse, experiences in foster care, poverty, homelessness, or systemic inequities faced by racialized and Indigenous women and girls. Traffickers often groom individuals over time, making early intervention and trusted relationships especially important.
Beyond individual support, SASC’s education and prevention work plays a critical role in addressing the root causes of sexual violence. By fostering awareness and encouraging conversations around consent and respect, they help build safer, more informed communities.
At Kindred, when we come alongside those doing this important work, we help create spaces where hope can take root and lives can be restored. Through the Kindred Charitable Fund, we are building a community where everyone can feel safe, valued, and supported.