CALACS Agression Estrie
The Centre d’aide et de lutte contre les aggressions à charactère sexuel (CALACS Agression Estrie) is the Eastern Townships’ sexual assault centre. The group has been at work in the region for the last 40 years to stand up for and support girls and women aged 12 and older who are victims of sexual violence, their friends, and families. The community organization offers direct aid services as well as prevention and awareness campaigns to the public while it actively engages in political action to support its mission.
At the end of Septmeber, CALACS lauched a campaign focused specifically on the prevention of sexual violence in the context of intoxication, be that by alcohol, drugs, or medication. Working with the Sherbrooke Police, the organization has created posters and coasters that will be distributed in a number of local bars to help raise awareness
This campaign is focused on three main audiences: victims, potential aggressors, and witnesses of violence. It’s three objectives are to:
1) Encourage victims of this kind of violence to ask for help, whether their intoxication was intentional or unintentional.
2) Help raise awareness among the populace that consent is not possible when a person is intoxicated, and that taking advantage of someone’s intoxication to make sexual advances is sexual assault
3) To incite people to protect intoxicated individuals from sexual violence by being active bystanders
Thirteen local bars are involved in the campaign at this point, The Golden Lion Pub, Boquébière, Le chat noir, King Hall, La Microdistillerie, Liverpool, Loubards, Pub Willard, Refuge des brasseurs, Resto Bar Le Figaro, Shaker, Siboire Jacquescartier and The Gait. Publicity related to the campaign will also be distributed elsewhere in the city, and owners of bars who are not yet participating are encouraged to contact CALACS if they are interested.
The organization is also inviting the population to a conference on workplace ethics and sexual harassment which will be presented by the Juripop legal clinic tomorrow, October 10, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Bellevue Hall at the centre communautaire de loisirs de Sherbrooke at 1010 Fairmount Street.
The activity will include training on how to prevent workplace misconduct and promote ethical behaviour in an environment of interactive exchange. Participants will be invited to find and analyze examples of inappropriate behaviour with the goal of improving overall response to these scenarios in real-life situations. A toolkit will be issued to all participants to serve as a reference and help in the future.
In order to ensure that there are enough resources available, those interested in participating in the conference need to call 819-563-9999 or email justice_interv@calacsestrie.com to confirm their attendance. The event is free and open to all to attend.
For more information on the work of CALACS Agression Estrie, call 1-877-5630793. The organization’s website, which features tools to quickly leave and clear traces of a visit for those who are concerned about abusers seeing their browsing history, is www.calacsestrie.com, and features information in English, French, and Spanish.