What we do

Our history

For more than 30 years, a patchwork quilt of independent community agencies have worked diligently to deliver front-line programs and services to individuals affected by sexual abuse and sexual assault, and to educate Albertans about this societal crisis.

By the mid-1990s, these community agencies recognized the need for a provincial 'umbrella' organization that would provide a unified public voice on sexual abuse and sexual assault issues, improve service delivery and evaluation, and work with government to develop effective policies and sustainable program funding.

The result was the Alberta Association of Sexual Assault Centres (AASAC), a non-profit, registered charitable organization that began operations in 1995 on a shoestring budget and borrowed office space. Since then, a succession of dedicated social service professionals and volunteer board members have applied vision, energy and leadership to the challenges of growth and collaboration among eight member agencies spread across Alberta.

In 2010, the organization's name was changed to the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services. This change reflects a changing and broader focus for the organization. It recognizes that there are programs and practitioners in Alberta who offer sexual abuse/assault services in their communities who may want to belong to a network of other knowledgeable and passionate service providers, and through their membership, to participate in the goals of AASAS.

AASAS member agencies

The current members of AASAS include:

• Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse
• Fort McMurray Sexual Assault Centre
• Lethbridge Family Services
• Lloydminster Sexual Assault & Information Centre
• PACE Sexual Assault Centre (Grande Prairie)
• Crisis Centre (Red Deer)
  
• Sexual Assault Response Committee of Medicine Hat
• University of Alberta Sexual Assault Centre

Our role

The member agencies of AASAS are responsible for day-to-day, front-line delivery of services such as crisis intervention, counselling, outreach and educational programming within their local communities and regional areas.

As a provincial umbrella organization, the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services focuses its efforts in these key areas:

AWARENESS -- AASAS works to increase public and government awareness of issues involving sexual abuse and sexual assault, and the impacts they have on all Albertans.
ACCESS -- AASAS strives to ensure that all Albertans affected by sexual abuse and sexual assault have access to healing and recovery programs, services and supports.

The Province of Alberta has been instrumental in providing resources that enable AASAS to transform its vision into reality. Through Alberta Children and Youth Services, Family Violence and Bullying Division, the Alberta government has also supplied operational funding for delivery of front-line services to individuals impacted by sexual abuse and sexual assault.

Our achievements

Ensuring standards of excellence

Understanding who our clients are enables AASAS to achieve higher levels of service, and to develop a province-wide profile of sexual abuse and sexual assault issues and responses.
To ensure effective service evaluation and delivery across Alberta, AASAS has developed and implemented new methods for collecting vital statistical data and measuring the outcomes and results of its core programs.

This core data now enables AASAS to report provincial aggregate statistics on sexual assault service clients, including highly accurate client demographics and statistical data about individuals who have been sexually abused or sexually assaulted and those who have committed these crimes against them.

Delivering six core services

As a first step in the standardization process, AASAS membership has identified seven essential core services that are required to provide comprehensive, coordinated service delivery for those directly impacted by sexual abuse or sexual assault, and their families.

AASAS members offer programming in each of these areas, either alone or in partnerships with other agencies:

• Coordination and collaboration
• Crisis response
• Counselling
• Police and court support
• Education
• Outreach