Waterloo region organization aiding Hockey Canada with sexual assault training workshop
Hockey Canada has turned to the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASCWR) for help in training its athletes and staff to end sexual violence.
The move comes following revelations of how Hockey Canada has handled allegations of sexual violence involving players.
“There’s a huge need for these conversations to happen,” said Jacob Pries, project facilitator of male allies program with SASCWR. “Giving guys the tools to understand their role in preventing sexual violence… how they can call out their teammates or coaches.”
The two-hour training program comes with the goal of ending sexual violence in sports culture.
Hockey Canada reached out to SASCWR in June to provide mandatory training for all of its players and staff; one part of Hockey Canada’s commitment to address challenges facing the organization and sport, as laid out it in its Action Plan meant to address toxic behaviour on and off the ice.
Pries said they’ve been working with Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse to offer “leading by example” workshops to Hockey Canada over the summer.
They’ve had 19 sessions so far with about 380 athletes, including those part of the national junior hockey team ahead of the world championship set to start in Edmonton this week.
“[It’s] doing things like making jokes about rape in the locker room how that helps normalize sexual violence, and why it’s important to call that out,” said Pries.
It’s not the first time the support centre has worked with sports organizations. They’ve been educating athletes through their male allies program and the Ontario Hockey League onside program for years.
“We know a lot of the players haven’t had a lot of conversations about consent or how they can be leaders in their community to prevent sexual violence, so I think they’re looking for more conversations about these things,” said Pries.
Pries says while this training is a powerful tool there is still more that needs to be done.
“In the short term it’s a good first step, but again, the stuff we’re covering with the athletes is very much the introduction. There’s so much more we need to unpack with players,” said Pries.
He said everyone has a responsibility to be allies in the work to end sexual violence.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Gangs netting up to US$3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
Human trafficking-fuelled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to US$3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6% in January as Quebec strikes end
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.