What do you do at Headwaters’ Sunrise Centre?
I am the program lead for the Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence Nursing Team. We provide consultation and care for all people affected by sexual assault and intimate partner violence regardless of when it happened.
How does the Sunrise Centre work with community partners?
We are fortunate to be a part of a community response to sexual assault and intimate partner violence. We work closely with our community partners such as Family Transition Place, Dufferin Child and Family Services, Caledon Dufferin Victim Services and the Ontario Provincial Police Central Region. This means that sometimes we are all working together to support a person who has experience sexual violence or intimate partner violence and sometimes it means that we are supporting a person to connect with a different agency for support.
What can someone in the community do if they are at risk of or have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence?
We encourage them to reach out to us either by phone or email if they have any questions or concerns - or if they have been assaulted recently they should come to the emergency department and tell the triage nurse that they would like to see the sexual assault or intimate partner violence nurse. Their privacy and rights will be respected at all times in this process.
Is there anything else you’d like to say to our community on the subject of sexual violence prevention?
We have observed in our community that people may not be aware of the seriousness of being a victim of sexual or intimate partner violence as it pertains to their physical health. Please know that there can be serious short and long-term consequences to being the victim of this type of violence and the nurses at the Sunrise Centre are ready to support you and hopefully decrease the risk and potential challenges you are experiencing after this type of violence.
Get support for survivors of sexual assualt or intimate partner violence through Headwaters' Sunrise Centre.