23/07/2025
As the verdict in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is delivered tomorrow, individuals and organizations across the country are joining together in a national day of action to say: .
We invite you to join us in public solidarity for EM, who courageously testified in court; for the countless others who could not come forward; and for all survivors who are watching this moment unfold while carrying their own experiences of violence.
No matter the verdict, we support and believe survivors. Let’s create space online, in the community, and in our institutions to show survivors that they are not alone.
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How to Take Part on Verdict Day — or Any Day a Survivor Needs You
🫂Practice Community Care
Check in with the people in your life and ask what they need. Support might involve sending a gentle message, dropping off a coffee, offering quiet company, or not talking at all. Hold space without expectations.
❤️🩹Respect Boundaries
Some survivors may not want to discuss the trial or sexual violence. That’s okay. Survivors do not owe anyone education or explanations. Commit to learning on your own and challenging myths in your circles.
🗣️Be Prepared for Disclosures: BRAVE Model
Created as a peer-to-peer support tool by Farrah Khan, the BRAVE Model is about showing up with care, curiosity, and humility when someone discloses sexual or gender-based violence. The BRAVE model isn't a checklist or a script. It's a practice. It starts with you.
B: Begin by listening. When someone tells you they’ve experienced harm, your first job is to listen, not to investigate, not to fix. Listen. You might feel unsure or overwhelmed, that’s okay and perfectly normal. Take a breath and steady yourself. This moment is about them, not you.
R: Respect confidentiality. What someone shares with you is theirs. It is not yours to post, whisper about, or use to prove a point.
A: Ask what support looks like for them. Too often, we assume what people need. We jump to action before asking a simple, powerful question: What does support look like for you? Let them define care and justice. Your role is to honour their needs, not decide for them.
V: Validate Survivors are often met with doubt, shame, and silence. You can interrupt that by showing that you believe in, care for, and honour them. One way to do this is to say:
I believe you.
It wasn’t your fault.
I’m so sorry that happened.
E: Empathize. Empathy means showing care, even when it’s uncomfortable. It also means caring for yourself.
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On Verdict Day and any other day, SACK is here for you.
If you or a loved one needs support, please reach out to our crisis & support line:
📞24/7 Phone: 1-877-544-6424
💬Text/Chat (daily, noon - midnight): 613-544-6424 or webelievesurvivors.ca
