Values
We recognize that our SACOMSS mandate is broad and inclusive of many nuanced and crucial terms. We have included some definitions and explanations of how we implement these elements into our practices. We also recognize that all of our mandates are general and idealistic; we are not perfect and do not claim to live up to our mandates in everything that we do. However, we look to them for inspiration, guidance and accountability. If you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations on how we can better implement our values, please reach out at ombuds@sacomss.org
As a pro-survivor organization, our goal is to prioritize the rights, agency, and experiences of survivors. A starting point for SACOMSS is that aggressors, not survivors, are responsible for incidents of sexual assault and harassment. We offer support to survivors without judging or doubting them, their actions or inactions. We believe in them. This is the most fundamental aspect of all our services.
Our listening service is non-directional, meaning that we do not offer advice and instead respect the right and capacity of each survivor to make their own decisions. Additionally, while SACOMSS does not provide resources for respondents in current investigations, we choose to avoid the essentializing dichotomy of perpetrator vs. survivor and instead recognize the cyclical nature of harm.
Feminism aims to create the conditions for equity of rights and treatment between all genders. This includes recognizing and understanding the conscious and subconscious beliefs and processes at play in gender inequalities and how they lead to a culture perpetuating interpersonal and sexual violence and minimizing its outcomes on both individuals and society at large. At SACOMSS, we feel that a feminist analysis of power is crucial to a clear understanding of the systemic roots of sexual violence, which greatly affects how we operate, how we treat each other, and how we hope to value the experiences and choices of survivors. We call ourselves pro-feminist to acknowledge the feminist roots of movements to support survivors, and to underline the continued statistical dominance of male-on-female sexual violence.
With this in mind, we strive for inclusivity by supporting survivors of all gender identities and acknowledging that sexual assault comes in many different forms. The Centre recognizes that not all sexual violence is perpetrated by men against women and instead recognizes the diverse natures of both gender and violence.
Being anti-racist requires the active and ongoing recognition that race is a concept that was fabricated with the intent of creating inequality between racial groups and continues to be upheld through systemic policies, practices, and procedures that perpetuate white supremacy. We seek to identify such practices in our own communities and replace them with anti-racist actions.
At SACOMSS, we recognize that racialized minorities face sexual violence at higher rates than non-racialized groups. We aim to acknowledge these disparities and respect how these may affect the courses of action and resources survivors may wish to seek.
We use anti-oppressive as a general term that encompasses all the concepts stated in our vision statement and other nuances (e.g., citizenship status, level of education). Misogyny, racism, colonialism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, and classism intertwine to contribute to a system of oppressions and inequalities that creates a spectrum of hierarchy from humans who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity to those who do not. One outcome of this system is the higher incidence of sexual violence against people who experience oppressions, both as expressions of these oppressions (e.g., higher chances of being dismissed or victimized by law enforcement) and because of heightened vulnerabilities (e.g., higher chances of being houseless).
As an organization, we work under the view that we cannot truly fight one oppression while ignoring or rejecting another. Foremost, we offer respect and empathy to all accessing our services, and recognize every person’s right to agency and self-determination. Being anti-oppressive also means actively seeking ways to be more welcoming, more knowledgeable, and more supportive of as many people as we can. This might involve changing policies, developing new programs, finding new resources, and retraining volunteers.
