CCASA

Crisis Intervention and Counselling Programs

The crisis intervention and counselling programs goal is stated as follows and is the central focus for the objectives and related activities of CCASA’s crisis intervention and counselling services:

Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse’s crisis intervention and counselling programs strive to enhance interpersonal functioning and a sense of empowerment for individuals who have experienced sexual abuse and sexual assault. CCASA will provide safe, accessible sexual abuse counselling services to individuals 11 years and over regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, ability, race, religion, colour, or socio-economic status.

Sexual abuse and sexual assault is viewed as highly traumatic for individuals at the time of the abuse as well as traumatic and troublesome after the incident(s). However, CCASA also strongly believes that healing and integration of the experience(s) is possible for people. CCASA’s philosophical basis for counselling is an incorporation of a numerous crisis intervention and counselling theories and is guided by two specific trauma theories of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Sexual Assault Trauma Syndrome. CCASA’s counselling principles follow those of the Alberta College of Social Workers Standards of Practice and the Canadian Social Work Code of Ethics and include other resources for counselling survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse and their significant others.

As the issues of sexual assault and sexual abuse have long been shrouded in silence, secrecy and shame, such supportive crisis intervention and counselling facilitated by CCASA is an excellent arena for survivors and their significant others to receive support and enhance their healing, understanding and resolution.

Specific program components within the Crisis Intervention and Counselling Programs are as follows:

1) 24 Hour Support and Information Line

The support and information line service is available to anyone who is dealing with or has been affected by the various forms of sexual assault or sexual abuse. This includes friends, family, and support people of the survivor. Staff members operate the line directly from the office from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday, while calls are dispatched through an answering service to trained volunteers after hours and on statutory holidays.

The services offered on the line include:

• crisis intervention
• emotional support
• problem solving
• information and referral
• access to emergency accompaniment to police or hospital

This confidential service is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year.

CCASA also offers a provincial toll free 24 hour support and information line 1-877-237-5888.

2) Calgary Sexual Assault Response Team (CSART)

The Calgary Sexual Assault Response Team provides specialized care to individuals who have been sexually assaulted within the past 72 hours. The service is available through the Rockyview Hospital Emergency Department and the Alberta Children’s Hospital. The team will travel to other hospitals when required.

Note: If more than 72 hours have passed since the sexual assault, there are other options for medical attention available, please contact the CCASA 24 hour crisis and information line at 237-5888 for more information.

After a sexual assault, it is essential to receive immediate medical attention due to the possibility of injury, pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. If you choose to go to the Rockyview Hospital, the following CSART professionals will see you:

• A female doctor and nurse trained in sexual assault care who will examine and treat you for injuries, provide you with STD and pregnancy testing, and follow up with results. They will also collect forensic evidence if you choose to report to the police.

You may also choose:

• A crisis counsellor from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse who will provide you with information about common reactions to sexual assault and recovery, assess your needs, inform you of reporting options, provide you with referrals, and follow up with you if you choose.
• Police officers from the Calgary Police Service, the RCMP, or Tribal Police, (depending on where the assault occurred) who will take a statement from you and answer your questions regarding the investigation process.

All CSART team members are trained in providing sexual assault care and work together to make your experience at the hospital as positive as possible under the circumstances.

3) Crisis Intervention and Support Counselling

CCASA’s counselling program focuses on offering specialized and individualized sexual assault and sexual abuse services. CCASA provides individual immediate crisis intervention and short term counselling for up to twelve weeks for survivors of sexual abuse, their friends, and loved ones. Services include assisting the survivor and loved ones in dealing effectively with the acute stage effects of sexual abuse crisis (whether past or recent). This includes helping people work through and face the many issues that without intervention could result in many difficulties both in their present lives and in the future. The program covers immediate impact, emotional and behavioural reactions and also addresses practical issues the individual may be dealing with at the time. Potential topics and issues addressed in the individual sessions are: information on sexual abuse and assault, sexual violence and its social context, anger, depression, trust, grief and loss, self esteem, assertiveness, guilt and shame, body image, sexuality, power and control.

4) Group Counselling

These sessions offer survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault support and counselling in a group setting. Group counselling is offered in the evening, once a week for two hours, over a twelve-week period. If you are interested in a group, you can contact CCASA and your name will be added to the waitlist. The groups are for either men or women; we do not offer mixed groups. You will be contacted when there are enough people for a group and invited to meet with the counsellors to determine with you whether group counselling is best to meet your needs. There is a small fee for group counselling although no individual will be turned away if they cannot afford the fee. Groups offered include Adult Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault Group for Adult female survivors of sexual assault, and Adult Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse who have also experienced domestic violence in their adult relationship(s).

5) Camp Chief Hector Empowerment and Celebration Weekend (for women survivors only)

CCASA, in partnership with Bow Valley Victim Services (Banff and Canmore area), offers a weekend of celebration, personal growth, and healing for female survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault. This celebration is held at the Camp Chief Hector facility in Kananaskis. The weekend, which highlights and celebrates women’s strength, is a structured weekend with activities such as group sharing sessions, a high rope course, horseback riding, and relaxation sessions. It is recognized that each person will participate in each of these activities based on their own abilities and desires. Although people are encouraged to challenge themselves, there is no pressure to participate beyond what an individual chooses. Potential participants are requested to go through an assessment interview with a CCASA staff member before signing up to ensure that this type of program will meet their needs and the needs of the larger group.