Resources

Your priority is to go to a place where you feel physically and emotionally safe. Talk to someone you trust.

• Contact the police (911) or Protection Services (613-562-5411) if you (or others) are in immediate danger or if you fear for your safety.
• Go to a safe place, such as the home of a friend, a parent or any other person you trust.

• Call one of the following services if you’re afraid to travel alone.

Foot Patrol of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (bilingual)

University Centre (1^st Floor)
613-562-5800 ext. 7433

OC Transpo (bilingual)

OC Transpo's Night Stop and Safe Stop

• Shelters and crisis centers are good options if you don’t know where to go or don’t want to be alone.

Evelyn Horne Young Women’s Shelter (bilingual)

Shelter for females ages 12 to 21
613-789-8220

Young Men’s Shelter (bilingual)

Shelter for males ages 12 to 21
613-907-8975

Maison d’amitié (French)

Shelter for women and their children
613-747-0020
613-747-9116 (TTY)

Interval House (English)

Shelter for women and their children
613-234-5181
613-234-5393 (TTY)

Oshki Kizis Lodge (bilingual)

Shelter for Aboriginal women and their children
613-741-559

It’s important to receive medical care as soon as possible after a sexual assault. This care is essential even if it’s been a while since it happened.

• Go to a hospital or the University of Ottawa Health Services (to have injuries treated, tests for sexually transmitted diseases, emergency contraception, etc.).
• If you want to report the assault (now or down the road), gathering evidence is critical. The Ottawa Hospital’s Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program is equipped and trained to perform a sexual assault evidence exam (rape kit) and properly collect forensic evidence.

The Ottawa Hospital (bilingual)

1053 Carling Avenue
613-798-5555 ext. 13770

IMPORTANT! Although you may find it difficult to do so, do not wash, urinate, eat, drink, smoke or chew gum before being examined. Also, never change, wash or destroy your clothing before being examined.

What to expect at medical centers

What to expect at the hospital

• A nurse in the emergency room will examine you (take your vital signs, etc.) and determine if you require medical treatment. If so, the nurse will follow up with a doctor. 

• The doctor will give you the medical care you need and provide information on services available to you. The Ottawa Hospital can complete a sexual assault evidence exam (rape kit) through its Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program.

• If you choose to get services through programs for survivors of sexual violence, you can, for example, get a physical exam, obtain a sexual assault evidence kit, receive medical and legal information, have the police involved, have an anonymous report, get tests and treatment for injuries or sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, etc. 

• If you undergo a sexual assault evidence exam, a number of specimens will be taken (sperm, saliva, blood, urine, etc.) in order to find any physical substances left on your body or clothing as well as chemical substances you may have ingested.

Some hospitals keep the specimens for up to one year. This gives you time to decide what you want to do.

What to expect from the University of Ottawa Health Services

• A nurse will assess your situation and give you recommendations.

• You will likely be encouraged to go to the Ottawa Hospital, where a team of specialized staff will take care of you. If you wish, the University of Ottawa Health Services can alert the nurse practitioner on duty at the hospital before you arrive.

• If you choose not to go to the hospital, a nurse or doctor at the clinic will provide the necessary care and give you the necessary information.

Report a case of sexual violence

By reporting sexual violence quickly, you increase your chances of finding and preserving evidence linking your attacker to the crime. Choosing to report is not a simple or obvious decision. You can take time to think about it and discuss it with someone you trust before filing a complaint.

• Contact the police (911) or the Protection Services (613-562-5499) at any time to report the assault. You can also contact the Human Rights Office (613-562-5222) for help or an external service.

Human Rights Office (bilingual)

1 Stewart Street (Room 121)
613-562-5222

Protection Services (bilingual)

141 Louis-Pasteur Street

613-562-5499

Ottawa Police Service (bilingual)

474 Elgin Street
613-236-1222 ext.5944

• Sexual violence is a crime that can be reported no matter how much time has passed since the assault.
• If you wish to report the assault (now or later), gathering evidence is critical (a sexual assault evidence kit will allow you to collect forensic evidence).

Confidentiality

Confidentiality can only be broken if the person is in immediate danger or if she is a danger to herself or someone else! For more information, please contact the Access to Information and Privacy Office.

What to expect legally

What to expect from the Human Rights Office

• You will meet with a harassment and discrimination prevention officer who will listen to you and explain your rights, available resources and options in complete confidentiality.

• If you wish to start a formal or informal process, you will be given advice and assisted with this process. In cases of sexual harassment, information collected during the process includes the aggressor’s name, address and job title as well as dates and places of the incidents and a brief description of each incident (including the gestures, remarks, proposals, threats, touching, etc.) and their impact (job loss, bad evaluation, emotional trauma, etc.).

What to expect from the Protection Services

• You will first meet with a safety officer (you can request to meet with an officer of a specific gender), who will complete a confidential report. Depending on your situation, the officer may work closely with the Human Rights Office or refer you there. An investigation may follow, depending on the circumstances.

• If you wish, the officer will follow up with the police.

• The officer will listen to and support you as best as possible, providing you with information on the various available resources.

• The officer will help you with any appropriate steps you should take, including those with your faculty, department or service with or requesting a No Trespassing Notice (legal document governing your assailant’s presence on campus). This, however, will depend on the details of your case.

What to expect from the police

• You will meet with a police officer (you can request to meet with an officer of a specific gender) in a private and safe place for an interview. The purpose of the interview is to gather as many details as possible, including any information you have about the assailant.

• The police will gather all the evidence from the crime scene and ask you the questions necessary to gather information for the investigation.

• If the police have reasons to believe that a crime has been committed, in consultation with you, they will bring charges, which will be transferred to the prosecutor’s office (Crown) for legal proceedings.

What to expect from the prosecutor (Crown)

•  The role of the prosecutor, or the Crown, is to examine the evidence and ensure that the criminal justice system is fair for the public, you and the accused.

• A staff member from the Victim/Witness Assistance Program will support you and provide you with information concerning the legal process and, in particular, about your case.

Victim/Witness Assistance Program (OVSS)

150 Metcalfe Street, Suite 1400
Ottawa, ON  K2P 1P1
Telephone: 613-239-0451
Fax: 613-239-0691
[email protected]

Talking about sexual assault or sexual harassment is not an easy decision. Breaking the silence can, however, allow you to get the necessary help and deal with this traumatic experience.

Speak to a worker to obtain individual consultation in a respectful, safe and comforting environment.

Accompaniment and individual/group consultation services provided on and off campus

CALACS francophone d’Ottawa (French)

613-789-8096

Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre (English)

613-562-2334

Call one of these 24-hour support lines for immediate active listening service.

Fem’aide (French)

Support line for women
1-877-336-2433
1-866-860-7082 (TTY)

Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre (English)

Support line for women and their family members
613-562-2333

Catholic Family Service Ottawa (CFSO) (bilingual)

Support line for women and men
1-866-887-0015

Check out the resources section for more services.

What to expect from workers

• The workers have all received professional training on listening actively and without judgment. They will present you with various options, direct you towards other services, if necessary, and support you throughout the process.

• The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa services are made up of students and volunteers. However, they have been trained (active listening), but they are not professionals.

Confide in a person you trust

The support of family and friends is crucial to your healing. Above all, do not hesitate to express your needs, as your loved ones must try to understand what triggers your reactions and what you actually need. Here are some examples:

• To be believed and listened to
• To be encouraged to seek help
• To be respected in the means used for survival
• To have your emotions validated
• Not to feel judged or blamed
• To obtain information on the healing process
• Not to hear the person defend the aggressor
• To feel that the person you confide in has confidence in you