The
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre (ORCC)
first opened its doors on December 15, 1974. Originally located
in a small apartment on Somerset Street West, it was the third
such Centre in Canada (others had been established in Toronto
and Vancouver). Initially, the Centre was comprised of three volunteers
offering crisis line services to victims of sexual assault.
The ORCC has developed
over the past twenty-four years into a community leader in the
field of sexual violence. In 1976 the staff at the ORCC included
four full-time staff members and 40 volunteers. Today the staff
at the ORCC consists of three full-time and six part-time staff
members. There are around fifty volunteers that work on the
24 - hour crisis line, provide public education activities and sit on our Board.
The staff and volunteers also act as liaisons with the police,
hospitals, lawyers and other social service resources.
Partnerships
As
part of our commitment to serving all women in the Ottawa-Carleton
community, we have initiated partnership agreements with the Aboriginal
Women’s Support Centre and Immigrant and Visible Minority
Women Against Abuse. These programs will allow us to respond to
the need to create a more diverse organization.
Mission
The Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre is a proactive, anti-racist, feminist
organization working to end all forms of sexual violence. We counsel
and support women, educate for change and work to create a safe
and equitable community.
Statistic
Highlights, 2002-2005
|
Year |
2002/2003 |
2003/2004 |
2004/2005 |
| # of Client Contacts |
4,318 |
3,100 |
3,049 |
| # of Client Hours |
6,742 |
6,323 |
6,421 |
Our
Services
24
- Hour Crisis Line: (613) 562-2333.
Accompaniment:
to the hospital, police & court.
Counselling:
both individual and group counselling is available.
Public
Education: we offer information to schools, information
fairs & service clubs.
The
Centre also offers women incarcerated at the Ottawa-Carleton
Detention Centre a support group with access to crisis counselling
once a week. This program is designed to help women deal
with issues of violence they have faced in their lives while
they are incarcerated.
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Volunteer
Work
The
ORCC is a volunteer based organization - we rely on over 8,000
volunteer hours a year. We are a not-for-profit, feminist, pro-choice,
anti-racist organization. We are currently seeking women volunteers
to work as Crisis Counselors, Community Educators, Fundraisers
and as members of our Board of Directors.
For
all volunteer positions, applicants must complete a screening
interview, training session and an evaluation. After 6 months
of volunteering at the Centre, volunteers can change their focus
and join a different program at the Centre. For more information,
see Volunteer Rights
& Responsibilities.
Crisis
Line: There is an initial screening interview to see if
we can meet each other's needs; it takes approximately one hour
and can be scheduled for the daytime or early evening. We also require two relevant references, to be checked by phone.
Following
the screening interview, you must attend a training session.
The training for the Crisis Line program is 30 hours, which does not include independent
reading time. The training sessions take place Tuesday evenings from 6-9pm.
We offer women an excellent training program and a supportive
and fun environment to learn in. A variety of learning tools
are used including group activities, guest speakers, role-plays,
independent reading, games, and group discussions. Each session
focuses on a different training topic: sexual violence, oppression,
feminist crisis counselling, recent sexual assault, childhood
sexual abuse, suicide, coping strategies, and self care. We
cover difficult topics such as suicide, multiplicity, ritualized
abuse, and self injury. The training spans three months and occurs
every fall, winter and spring. There is no cost for the training.
The
final stage of the process is an evaluation which takes approximately
one hour; it includes three role plays which are done over the
phone with a Rape Crisis Centre worker.
After
volunteers have finished their evaluation we ask for a commitment
of one year. Volunteers are expected to work 21 hours per month
on the crisis line; volunteers choose the shifts that they work.
Three hour volunteer meetings are held every month -
they provide skill-building workshops, guest speakers, peer
support and social events. Volunteers receive regular supervision
and support.
Our
training and volunteer programs are well respected in Ottawa
and spaces fill up very quickly; if you are interested in volunteering
please call to arrange for a screening interview.
Public
Education and Fundraising: Public Education and Fundraising
can consist of many different types of work such as staffing
an information table at school fairs, giving presentations on
sexual assault in front of groups, publicizing our services,
organizing events to raise money for the Centre, organizing
and maintaining the resource library, working on our web page,
etc.
We
ask for a minimum one year commitment to the Centre with approximately
5 hours of volunteer work every two weeks. You are expected
to attend monthly volunteer meetings.
If you
are committed to ending sexual violence; and experienced or
interested in marketing, public relations, event organizing,
public education, communications, then call the Centre to make
an appointment for a screening interview. If successful, the
next step will be to participate in 3, four-hour training sessions.
Training and training manuals are free.
Board
of Directors:The Board of Directors seeks women who have
the following qualities: knowledge and awareness of sexual violence
issues; commitment to a feminist analysis and practice; experience
in at least one of the following areas: previous board experience,
financial management, policy development, human resources, feminist
counselling, women's health, not-for-profit organizational experience,
media/public relations, fundraising. Responsibilities include
policy and planning, board development, finance, personnel,
and external relations.
If you
would like to hold a seat on the ORCC's Board of Directors,
or if you know of women in your community whom you believe would
be good candidates, please submit your and/or your candidates
name(s) either by fax (613-562-2291), by email (orcc@magma.ca) or by mail ( Board Nominating Committee, Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre, P.O. Box 20206, Ottawa, Ontario,
K1N 9P4.)
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Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where are you located?
We
are in the Sandy Hill area of central Ottawa. We
keep our street address confidential and use a post office box
for the safety and privacy of the women who use our services.
Do you only counsel
rape victims?
No,
we counsel victims of all forms of sexual violence, including:
survivors of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, incest, indecent
exposure or anything else related to the issue. If we are not
the appropriate agency we will refer accordingly.
What is the difference
between rape and sexual assault?
The
Criminal Code was amended in January 1983 to replace the word
rape with sexual assault. The latter term has a much broader definition
and is aligned with the assault provisions in the code. The change
in the law was implemented to reflect the violent, not the sexual
nature of the assault.
Why are you called
the“ Rape” Crisis Centre instead of “Sexual Assault”
Crisis Centre?
Over
the past decade the community has come to know us by that name
and it is the name we were incorporated under.
How many volunteers
work there?
We
usually have between 70 and 100 volunteers.
How many staff does
the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre (ORCC) employ?
There
are ten employees: administrative coordinator, public education
coordinator, volunteer coordinator, counselling coordinator, centre
coordinator and five counsellors. As well, we have students on
placements and counsellors on contract.
How does one go
about becoming a volunteer?
Contact
the office and we will mail you information on volunteer requirements/commitment
and tell you of the next orientation/training sessions. Trainings
are held approximately three to four times a year.
Are you open 24
hours a day?
The
crisis line is staffed 24 hours a day. The administration line
is staffed 8 to 4 and the centre is open 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. plus
some evenings.
What do volunteers
do at the ORCC?
Volunteers
are responsible for staffing the crisis line on evenings, weekends
and holidays. We also have volunteers who work on public education,
fundraising, newsletters, sit on our Board and committees, and
do office work. There is a minimum commitment that is required.
How are you funded?
We
are funded by the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional
Services of Ontario, the United Way/Centraide and the Regional
Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. We also receive funding through
private donations, honorariums and fundraising in the community.
How many calls do
you get in a year?
It
varies but our statistics for the past few years indicate that
the average total number of calls to our crisis line in a year
is approximately 5000.
How does a person
feel after an assault?
Victims
experience a range of emotions, both short and long term, following
an assault. These reactions are as different as the women themselves,
and there is no typical or right way to act, or feel. Some of
the more common reactions include: fear, guilt, embarrassment,
shame and anger.
What do you tell
a woman who has just been raped?
This
depends on the individual. We try to help the victim see that
even if she did something she now considers unwise (such as hitchhiking)
she was not responsible for the assault. Women do not ask to be
sexually assaulted. We will help her in whatever course she decides,
such as reporting the crime or talking to employers about her
situation.
Do you recommend
victims call the police after the assault?
We
recommend the victim do whatever is best for her. We give her
information and go through options with her. If she is unsure
we advise her of the pros and cons of the situation. Some women
are very angry and want to get the offender behind bars, others
are scared and know they would be unable to complete the legal
process.
Isn’t it her
duty to report it in order to protect other women?
Her
only duty is to herself. Remember she is already a victim. If
she is unable to go to court, then that is her decision. We are
not the ones that have to live with nightmares and the fear of
facing the offender again in court. Cases take, on average, one
and a half years to get through the legal process. Just when she
may have her life back in order, she may have to relive the whole
thing again in front of a court.
What type of counselling
do you provide?
We
provide non-directive, nonjudgmental, feminist, client-centered
counselling. This means we do all we can to allow the woman to
gain control of the situation and realize her full potential regardless
of societal constraints. Our services are designed to empower
the survivor and avoid revictimization while in the process of
healing.
Are the women who
work at the ORCC survivors/victims of rape?
All
women have felt powerless at one time or another in our lives
so, most of us can understand what it feels like to be assaulted
sexually. According to the statistics, one in three women in Canada
will experience some form of sexual violence at some time in her
life. Therefore, many of us (women involved with the centre such
as staff, volunteers, etc.) have experienced sexual violence,
but it is not necessary to be involved with the Centre.
Do men ever call
the Centre?
Yes,
the majority of men who call are doing so out of a desire to help
a female friend or partner who has been assaulted. Occasionally,
male victims of sexual assault call.
How can I support
the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre and the work it does?
You
can make a tax deductible donation to the centre, or volunteer
your time. You can also support us by letting others know about
our centre and services.
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Contact
Us
Whether you are seeking
information or would like to help out, you can contact us in many
ways:
E-mail
orcc@magma.ca
Mail
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre
PO Box 20206
Ottawa, ON
K1N 9P4
Business Phone
(613) 562-2334
Fax
(613) 562-2291
TTY
(613) 562-3860
Please note
E-mail over the Internet is not a secure medium and privacy cannot
be assured. Due to the insecure nature of the medium, no confidential
information should ever be sent using e-mail.
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