Who We are

Amelia Rising Sexual Violence Support Centre is a self-referral agency that provides free, completely confidential support for people 12 years of age and older who have experienced sexual or gender-based violence.

We work from feminist, intersectional, anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks. A consent culture, based on equity, is essential to ending sexual and gender-based violence. Amelia Rising believes that by working together, honouring differences, leaning into our discomfort, and challenging ourselves that we will achieve our vision of a just social world.

Our Mandate

Amelia Rising Sexual Violence Support Centre is a registered charity serving survivors of sexual and gender-based violence ages 12 and up in the Nipissing District.

Our Mission

  • Support survivors to heal from sexual and gender-based violence.
  • Educate and advocate for systemic and social change required to end sexual and gender-based violence.

What is gender-based violence?

Gender-based violence (GBV) is an umbrella term for any harmful act that is perpetrated against someone based on socially ascribed differences in gender or their perceived gender and is rooted in power imbalances. This includes acts that inflict physical, sexual, or mental harm, threats of such acts, coercion, and other deprivations of liberty. These acts can occur in public, private, or online/digitally.

GBV captures systemic issues and societal dynamics rooted in power imbalances, gender inequality, and patriarchal norms that lead to violence. While GBV is often used interchangeably with other terms (i.e. intimate partner violence), this term serves as a broader framework that contextualizes these specific forms of violence within systemic patterns of discrimination. GBV also acknowledges the experiences of diverse populations, including racialized individuals, gender-diverse and LGBTQIA+ individuals, and men targeted for not conforming to traditional gender norms. This versatility encourages a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, survivor support, and systemic reform.

Areas We Service

Nipissing District:

  • North Bay
  • Powassan
  • East Ferris
  • Mattawa
  • Sturgeon Falls
  • South River (*although counsellors from Parry Sound go to South River twice a week)
  • Cache Bay
  • Restoule
  • Marten River
  • Temagami

Overview

Our doors first opened in 1994 as a grassroots women’s collective. We have three main pillars of centre services: Counselling, Education and Advocacy.

Services We Currently Provide:

  • Individual Supportive Counselling
  • Groups and Workshops
  • 24/7 Crisis Helpline
  • Community contact navigation
  • Accompaniment to the hospital, police station, or court
  • Educational workshops for awareness and training
  • Public events to foster community, connection, change, and advocacy
  • Information and support for partners, families, and friends of survivors
  • Advocacy for change to end gender-based violence

Services We Currently Do Not Provide:

  • Shelter or housing accommodations
  • Legal advice, opinions, or advocacy
  • Medical-related services, treatments, appointments, or prescriptions