SVPM Acknowledgements and Ceremonies
Town of Caledon
Flag-raising and Proclamation Ceremony
Caledon Town Hall
6311 Old Church Rd, Caledon
Tuesday, May 20, 2025 – 2:30 p.m.
Town of Caledon Proclamation
Town of Orangeville
Flag-raising and Proclamation Ceremony
Orangeville Town Hall
87 Broadway
Monday, May 26, 2025, 12:30 p.m.
Town of Orangeville Proclamation
County of Dufferin
Proclaimed at May 8, 2025, Council Meeting
Dufferin County Proclamation
Township of Melancthon
Proclaimed at May 1, 2025, Council Meeting
Township of Melancthon Proclamation
Town of Mono
Proclaimed at Council Meeting, April 22, 2025
Town of Mono Proclamation
Township of Mulmur
Proclaimed at May 7, 2025, Council Meeting
Township of Mulmur Proclamation
Town of Shelburne
Proclaimed at May 12, 2025, Council Meeting
Town of Shelburne Proclamation
Myth or Fact?
Myth: Women with disabilities don’t get sexually assaulted.
Fact: Women with disabilities are at a high risk of experiencing sexual violence or assault. Those who live with activity limitations are over two times more likely to be victims of sexual assault than those who are able-bodied.¹
Myth: Men are not victims of sexual violence.
Fact: 1.5% of all men have been raped and 47% of bisexual men have experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime.²
Myth: A woman can’t be raped by another woman; a man can’t be raped by another man; a transgender person can’t rape or be raped by a partner.
Fact: Any time a person has sex without someone’s consent, that is rape. Forcible sex can occur between any two people, including LGBTQ people.³
Myth: It’s not a big deal to have sex with a woman while she is drunk, stoned or passed out.
Fact: If a woman is unconscious or incapable of consenting due to the use of alcohol or drugs, she cannot legally give consent. Without consent, it is sexual assault.¹
Sources:
¹ Dispelling the myths about sexual assault | Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
² Resilience | Empowering Survivors
³ Room to be Safe Anti-Violence Program
Facts about sexual violence:
♦ Fact: Sexual assault is often perpetrated by someone known to the victim/survivor. Studies show that over 80% of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the person, such as a friend, partner, service provider, neighbour or family member.¹
♦ In Canada, more than 4 in 10 (43%) Indigenous women have been sexually assaulted at least once since the age of 15, including:
• 45% of First Nations women,
• 44% of Métis women, and
• 26% of Inuit women.
In comparison, about 30% of non-Indigenous women in Canada have reported experiencing sexual assault at least once since the age of 15.²
♦ Fact: Sexual assault is not the result of miscommunication or a mistake. Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual contact obtained without consent through coercion, intimidation, the use of force or threats, choosing to disregard someone’s “No”, not respecting someone’s personal boundaries, and not checking in or confirming consent.¹
♦ As of January 2024, there are no known national or governmental studies documenting the problem of sexual violence against African women and girls in this country. Race-specific data on sexual violence is not available through Statistics Canada, which highlights the invisibilization of African-Canadian women in public policy and research. Black women face systemic limitations when reporting sexual violence, and engaging with the criminal justice system as victims of crime.³
♦ Fact: Sexual assault is one of the most under-reported crimes in Canada. Many barriers to reporting exist, including but not limited to: not being believed, feeling humiliated, fear of retaliation by the offender and of re-victimization in the legal process, fear of reaction by their social networks. It is important to recognize that every individual affected by sexual assault may choose to report or not. Their decision has no bearing on the truth of their experience.¹
♦ Fact: There is no relationship between sexual consent and what someone is wearing. A person’s outfit or actions are not an invitation to sexual assault or harassment. The only person responsible for sexual assault or harassment is the person who commits the act. Blaming the survivor is known as victim blaming.¹
♦ One in two (50%) LGB+ women and one in four (26%) LGB+ men in Canada were sexually assaulted since age 15—significantly more than among heterosexual women (30%) and men (8%).²
Sources:
¹McGill Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education
²Government of Canada | Women and Gender Equality | Gender-based Violence
³Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres
Test your consent and bystander intervention knowledge by taking the Draw the Line quiz.
Some parts of this quiz test your knowledge. Other parts contain information about sexual violence prevention, helping you to increase your knowledge as you go along. You will have a chance to assess what you’ve learned, and at the end of the quiz, you will get your score!
Supports and resources are offered throughout the quiz; if you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free and confidential support is available at www.sexualassaultsupport.ca/get-help/.
Please note: you will not be asked for your name or other identifying information.
FTP’s sexual violence counselling services provide services to individuals (16+ years old) in the Dufferin and Caledon communities. Staff at the Lotus Centre work with the following partners to deliver a broad array of sexual violence supports across our community:
Visit out Lotus Centre page to find out more about the services we provide.