Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services

06/09/2026

Congratulations to our former CEO, Deb Tomlinson, who will be receiving an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Mount Royal University.

This well-deserved recognition reflects more than 30 years of leadership, collaboration, and commitment to ending sexual violence and improving access to specialized services and supports across Alberta.

As one of the early leaders who helped shape Alberta's sexual violence sector, Deb's vision and commitment have transformed access to services and supports for survivors across Alberta. Her leadership has helped build a stronger, more coordinated response to sexual violence through advocacy, collaboration, public awareness, and systems change.

Beyond her many accomplishments, Deb's greatest legacy may be the countless people she has mentored and inspired. Her ability to bring people together around a shared vision has strengthened organizations, communities, and systems across Alberta and Canada.

On behalf of AASAS, our network of sexual assault services, partners, and the many individuals whose lives have been positively impacted by her work, congratulations, Deb. We are grateful for your leadership and proud to celebrate this milestone with you.

To read more about Deb and the other recipients visit: https://www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/MediaRoom/Stories/2026/05/honorary-degree-recipients.htm

06/02/2026

Registration has been extended for AASAS' First Responder to Sexual Assault and Abuse Training, but only until June 20.

Whether you work in health care, education, social services, community organizations, or simply want to be better prepared to support someone in your life, this training provides practical, trauma-informed skills for responding to disclosures of sexual violence.

Participants consistently tell us this training changes how they approach conversations about sexual violence and helps them feel more confident supporting survivors.

Last year:
• 98% increased their knowledge about sexual violence
• 97% felt able to provide a supportive first response
• 99% would recommend the training to others

📅 June 23–24
💻 Online
🗓 Register by June 20

Spaces remain available. Register today and join professionals and community members from across Alberta in building safer, more supportive communities.

05/27/2026

When someone discloses sexual violence, the response they receive can have a lasting impact.

AASAS’ First Responder to Sexual Assault and Abuse Training supports frontline professionals and community members to respond with compassion, confidence, and trauma-informed care.

Participants will gain practical skills to:
• support survivors after disclosure
• better understand the impacts of sexual violence
• challenge myths and victim-blaming
• connect people to specialized resources and supports

June 23–24
Online
Registration closes June 9

Join us to strengthen your response and help create safer, more supportive communities.

Register here: https://aasas.ca/training/first-responder-to-sexual-assault-and-abuse-training/

05/25/2026

May is Sexual Violence Awareness Month.

Across Alberta, specialized sexual assault services are here for you. Together, they are a network of many voices united for one purpose: safe communities free from sexual violence.

Every day, sexual assault services across the province provide specialized support, crisis response, counselling, prevention education, court support, systems navigation, and information for survivors, families, and communities.

This Sexual Violence Awareness Month, we want Albertans to know that specialized support, information, and connection to a continuum of services are available.

For specialized support, information, and connection with a sexual assault service nearest you, contact Alberta’s ONE LiNE for Sexual Violence:

📞 Call: 1-866-403-8000
💬 Text: 1-866-403-8000
💻 Chat online at aasas.ca

You are not alone. We believe you.

05/21/2026

Thank you to Minister Searle Turton for meeting with AASAS and leaders from sexual assault centres across Alberta during Sexual Violence Awareness Month.

We appreciated the opportunity to share the impact of specialized sexual violence services in communities across the province, including how investments in crisis intervention, systems navigation, police and court support, public education, counselling, and outreach are helping survivors access support when they need it most.

Ending sexual violence takes collective commitment, strong partnerships, and sustained investment in survivor-centred services. We are grateful for the YourAlberta (Government of Alberta)’s continued partnership and for the important conversations focused on strengthening support for survivors and building safer communities.

If you or someone you know needs support, Alberta’s ONE LiNE for Sexual Violence is available 24/7 by call or text at 1-866-403-8000.

Learn more at https://aasas.ca/

05/15/2026

Sexual violence can have lasting impacts, and a new report from the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada shows the economic costs are staggering too.

Survivors experience an estimated $14.8 billion in costs every year in Canada.

These findings reinforce why prevention, education, and specialized survivor support matter. When survivors are believed and connected to specialized services, it can make a meaningful difference in healing, safety, and access to justice.

Specialized sexual assault services across Alberta continue to provide critical support, education, advocacy, and prevention work every day.

We all have a role in ending sexual violence.

What Can You Do
- Read the report: https://endingviolencecanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ESVA_Ripple_EconomicCostSV_ExecBrochure_2026.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Learn how to respond by taking First Responder to Sexual Assault and Abuse Training: https://aasas.ca/training/first-responder-to-sexual-assault-and-abuse-training/
- Reach out to Alberta's ONE LiNE for Sexual Violence. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, support is here for you. Call/text 1.866.403.8000 or chat at https://aasas.ca/get-support/

05/12/2026

AASAS is recruiting new members for our Board of Directors.

We are looking for thoughtful, collaborative leaders who are passionate about advancing meaningful change and strengthening Alberta’s response to sexual violence.

Serving on the AASAS Board is an opportunity to contribute to provincial leadership, support the work of specialized sexual violence services, and help guide strategic priorities that impact communities across Alberta.

We welcome applicants with diverse experiences, perspectives, and professional backgrounds.

Learn more about the opportunity and how to apply:
https://aasas.ca/about-us/careers/

Please share with your networks.

05/08/2026

May is Sexual Violence Awareness Month .

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, specialized support is available across Alberta.

Through AASAS.ca, Albertans can connect with:
• Alberta’s ONE LiNE for Sexual Violence via talk/text 1.866.403.8000 or chat aasas.ca.
• Local sexual assault centres and specialized support services
• Information, resources, and referrals

You do not have to navigate this alone.

Sexual assault services across Alberta provide specialized sexual violence trauma specific, survivor-centred support for people impacted by sexual violence, as well as education and prevention work in communities across the province.

Support is available.
Information is available.
We believe survivors.

Visit https://aasas.ca/ to learn more.

05/07/2026

This Sexual Violence Awareness Month, we’re reminded that how we respond to disclosures of sexual violence matters.

Survivors who receive safe and supportive responses are more likely to access services and consider their options for seeking justice.

That’s why AASAS is offering our First Responder to Sexual Assault and Abuse Training on May 26–27.

This two-day workshop helps participants:
• Understand sexual violence and its impacts
• Respond to disclosures with confidence and care
• Connect individuals to appropriate supports and resources
This training is designed for professionals, paraprofessionals, and community members—because everyone has a role to play.

Learn more and register by May 12:
https://aasas.ca/training/first-responder-to-sexual-assault-and-abuse-training/.
Together we can build safer, more supportive communities across Alberta.

05/05/2026

Today, on Red Dress Day, we honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+).

Each red dress is a powerful reminder of lives taken, families grieving, and the ongoing calls for justice.

We stand alongside Indigenous leaders and organizations, including the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association - ANFCA, who continue to lead this work with strength, care, and accountability to community.

Ending gender-based violence means confronting the ongoing impacts of colonialism and supporting Indigenous-led solutions. It means listening, learning, and taking action together.

We honour those who are missing. We remember those who were taken. And we commit to a future rooted in safety, dignity, and respect for all.

Each red dress hanging in our communities is more than a symbol, it is a story. It is a story of a daughter, a mother, a sister, an auntie, and a friend whose presence is deeply missed but whose spirit remains unforgotten.

Today, on Red Dress Day, we give a voice to the silence. We honor the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+) by sharing the truth of their lives and the strength of the families who continue to seek justice.

At the heart of the Friendship Centre movement, we believe that remembering is an act of resistance and healing. We work every day to ensure that the next chapter of our story is one of safety, dignity, and profound care for all our relatives.