Support

SVPRO support services

SVPRO support services are available to anyone in the UBC community who has been impacted by sexual or gender-based violence, including assault, harassment, or other forms of harm related to sex, sexuality, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, regardless of where and when it occurred. 

When a person chooses to speak with SVPRO, they are not reporting to the University. SVPRO cannot receive reports or conduct investigations. Information shared with us is confidential and cannot be shared with anyone else without express permission. Our role is to provide support in ways that create safety for, and trust with, each individual client.

What you can expect

Our approach centres around your individual needs and recognizes you as the expert of your experience. You might hear us refer to this as a person-centred or survivor-centred approach. Occasionally these terms are used interchangeably to reflect that our team will take our cues from the survivor as opposed to providing a ‘standard’ response. The use of person-centred is reflective of the fact that whether or not a person identifies as a survivor, we will take our cues from the individual person, taking into account their unique nexus of identities, histories, geographies, and experiences.  

Our support

We offer confidential, one-on-one support sessions and safety planning, and can help with everything from academic concessions or workplace support, to emergency housing and funding. You are free to access the support in our office regardless of when the incident(s) occurred, and it is your choice how long, how frequently, and for what purposes you connect with us.  

We can provide information and support through any processes you choose to pursue, including hospital, police, court processes, and/or the reporting process to UBC’s Investigations Office. We can also coordinate many different campus services and supports, as well as community supports and resources, based on the needs you identify. 

Identity-specific resources

We recognize that not all services will be safe for all people. We do our best to only make referrals to places that we know share our values of trans and queer inclusion, decolonization, anti-racism, and accessibility. We are not interested in sending you somewhere you are made to feel unsafe because of who you are. We will share the information we have about available community resources to help identify culturally and identity-appropriate services specific to you. You deserve to feel understood, respected, and valued in any space you are in.

Community resources

Additional community resources are available through the Alma Mater Society’s (AMS) Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) and WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre. WAVAW’s in-person services are available only to ciswomen, all trans, and nonbinary people. Cismen are able to access support through the WAVAW crisis hotline. Both SASC and WAVAW may provide support for survivors on our campus who choose to access their services. We are happy to coordinate with and provide support alongside our colleagues at organizations not affiliated with UBC, should that be requested by the survivor.

Resources

Our support specialists can help coordinate and navigate resources and supports in the following areas: