Student group seeks support and healing for assault survivors

In February of 2017, a new group was formed on the campus of Bishop’s University with the expressed purposed of providing support and healing for victims of sexual assault. Under the direction of co-facilitators Ann-catherine Lemonde and Kristin Robinson the group, known as SASH (Sexual Assault Support and Healing) has been working to provide a weekly opportunity for survivors and their loved ones to work on healing and empowerment in a safe environment.

“It’s open not just to people who have had an unwanted sexual experience but also friends and family that are trying to support this person,” Lemonde said, explaining that the group meets every Wednesday for general support and self healing, but that it also offers different workshops and activities focused on that central theme of support.

Asked about the origins of the group, Lemonde explained that the idea came up in working on her thesis last year, studying the prevalence of sexual assault on the Bishop’s and Champlain campus as well as the beliefs and attitudes of faculty staff and students on the subject.

“When I started doing the research on it, it became apparent that a group like this would be very beneficial for our campus,” the facilitator said. “We know that it’s out there.”

Robinson, who was very involved with Bishop’s Gender Equity Centre at the

Sherbrooke marked Remembrance Day on Sunday afternoon with its annual service of Remembrance and military parade. Representatives of local reserve groups the Sherbrooke Hussars, Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke, and la 52e Ambulance de Campagne as well as the Sherbrooke police, the RCMP, and several other local groups were joined by politicians and representatives of local communities in remembering the fallen of both Canada and the local community. The parade left the Saint-michel Cathedral in Sherbrooke and marched through the city’s downtown accompanied by large

time, joined in the initiative and SASH got started shortly thereafter.

“It’s really taken a nice shape,” Lemonde noted.

While emphasizing that none of the group’s facilitators is a therapist, Robinson underlined SASH’S goal of providing a safe space. She explained that the group meets with an understanding of six key principles: you are the expert of your experience, your feelings are valid and normal, you are in no way responsible for the violence suffered, you are the writer of your own story, you are worthy of healthy love, and you have the right to autonomy, respect, and freedom.

The facilitator said that the focus of the support group is on helping survivors regain autonomy and empowerment following their assaults and added that there are certain ground rules that participants commit to keeping. First, you speak from your own experience. Second, you have the right to speak without having other people respond to what you have to say. Three, you have the right not to share. Finally, you ask permission before touching anybody.

While no one signs any agreements, Robinson said that participants are strongly encouraged to respect confidentiality and not share stories outside of the circle.

With regard to the recent reports and concerns about sexual abuse in the community, the two organizers said that they are working on trying to remind the local student population that the group exists.

“There’s a lot of fear,” Robinson said, adding that students feel like their environment has been taken away from them. “A lot of people like to walk on the path and be in nature and that space has been kind of taken away.”

SASH gatherings are not currently open to the general public, but Lemonde said that a joint meditation activity planned with the Lennoxville and District Women’s Centre on December 6 will operate as a kind of a test run for the possibility of future work within the community at large. The group is also in regular contact with a range of more established resources on and off campus, providing additional links between SASH and its surroundings.

“They’ve all been very supportive and amazing,” Lemonde said.