Announcements & Events
Jan. 16 – Mar. 19. 2024: Crafternoon Tea is now at UTM!
We’re thrilled to announce that Crafternoon Tea is coming to Mississauga! Crafternoon Tea is an opportunity to disconnect in a safe, welcoming environment with snacks, tea or coffee, and (of course) crafts. These sessions are free and open to students, staff, and faculty at U of T. Register in advance to get reminders and suggest future crafts, limited drop-in space is available. We’ll meet in-person once a month from 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET in the Davis Building, Room 3138. Join us on:
December 6, 2023
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women Care, Healing, and Justice: Addressing Transmisogyny and Ending Gender-Based Violence for All Please note that registration is required to attend the in-person event, and space is limited. On December 6, U of T joins communities across Canada in remembering the 14 women killed in a devastating act of misogyny at the engineering school at Montreal’s École Polytechnique in 1989. Please note: The virtual event will include closed captioning. If you require other accessibility accommodations, let us know via email. If you are attending the in-person event, registration is required in-advance…
Dec. 1: Guided Healing Circle for South East Asian and East Asian Survivors with Bo Yih Thom (Virtual)
Join us from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. on December 1, 2023 for this closed session for South East Asian and East Asian survivors of sexual violence. This 2-hour virtual healing circle is a guided space where South East Asian and East Asian identified survivors of all genders can come together to share about the legacy and impact of surviving violence, practices for healing, and strategies for resilience. Participants will not be asked or expected to share their own experiences of harm. About Bo Yih Thom Bo Yih Thom (she/they) Msw Rsw, is a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor in private practice. Bo Yih integrates anti-colonial…
Nov. 21: Regulate Your Emotions with Vera Cheng and the Healing Hearts Survivor Group
Join us on Tuesday, November 21, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for this healing session with facilitator Vera Cheng. Have you ever heard the term “emotional roller coaster”? Sometimes our emotions can change quickly, from happy to sad, from angry to guilty. When we are in a difficult situation, we often react impulsively and feel bad afterwards, or dismiss our emotions because we do not know how to feel them fully. Learning to regulate our emotions is a lifelong journey, and requires practice. In this interactive discussion, participants will learn and reflect on the following: This session is intended as…
Crafternoon Tea at UTSC
We’re thrilled to announce that Crafternoon Tea is coming to Scarborough! Crafternoon Tea is an opportunity to disconnect in a safe, welcoming environment with snacks, tea or coffee, and (of course) crafts. These sessions are open to students, staff, and faculty at U of T. Register in advance to get reminders and suggest future crafts, limited drop-in space is available. We’ll meet in-person once a month from 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET at the SVPS Centre UTSC office (Environmental Science & Chemistry Building, EV141). Our first two UTSC meetings will be held on:
#16Days Film Festival: Join Us for Moana on Nov. 27!
Join us for a Film Festival from November 23rd – November 30th in honour of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence is an annual international campaign that begins on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and goes until December 10, Human Rights Day. This campaign started in 1991 to call out and speak up on gender-based violence, and to renew our commitment to ending violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. To mark this period, the Community Safety Office (CSO), in partnership with our equity offices…
Oct. 17 – Oct. 31: Healing Through the Intersections Workshop Series (Virtual)
Healing Through the Intersections is an annual workshop series held in October that’s all about honouring and creating space for intersectional experiences of sexual violence and sexual harassment. Many (but not all) of the sessions are closed to survivors of specific identities, to allow participants to share experiences and build community in a safe and welcoming environment. Registration for each workshop is required, see below. In 2023, we’re excited to welcome the following facilitators: My Body is Wise: Reclaiming My Voice with Melissa Taylor (Virtual) *New Date: November 2, 2023 (Previously scheduled for October 17) *New Time: 2:00 pm. –…
Crafternoon Tea 2023 – 2024
A Monthly Drop-In Program with Art, Snacks, and Community Crafternoon Tea is back! Join this monthly drop-in program where we’ll explore our creativity, build community, and expand our understanding of grounding strategies through art and tactile activities. Crafternoon Tea is an opportunity to disconnect in a safe, welcoming environment with snacks, tea or coffee, and (of course) crafts! These sessions are open to students, staff, and faculty at U of T and will take place in-person at our downtown office (located in the Gerstein Library, Suite B139). Register in advance to get reminders and suggest future crafts, limited drop-in space…
3 Ways to Take Action for Consent Awareness Week
Consent Awareness Week is an educational initiative held at universities across the country. The week is an opportunity for campus communities to create a dialogue about consent, pleasure, relationships and increase understanding of sexual violence. It’s also an opportunity to raise awareness of on- and off-campus services. This year we are again taking the lead of student advocates and members of the Ontario University Sexual Violence Network by marking this week in September in order to align with the increased risk of sexual violence and harassment that accompanies the start of the new academic year. As a part of Consent Awareness Week, we will…
Healing Hearts: A Virtual Group for Survivors of All Genders (September 28, 2023 – November 21, 2023)
Healing Hearts is a support group for people of all genders who have had an experience of sexual violence or harassment. Join us to talk consent and pleasure, healthy boundaries, intimacy after trauma, and more at these free monthly drop-in meetings. Attendance at every meeting is welcome but not required. Register to receive session details in your inbox! Meeting Schedule The first session of the term will be on Thursday, September 28, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Other dates and topics are subject to change. Thursday, September 28, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.: 7 Grandfather TeachingsJoin us to mark the National Day…
Sept. 28: Healing Hearts Survivor Group and the Seven Grandfather Teachings
Join us on Thursday, September 28, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. as we mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We’ll be joined virtually by facilitator Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone, who will be leading a circle and guided meditation on the 7 Grandfather Teachings. This workshop is a beautiful exploration, where survivors are invited to come together in a safe and supportive environment to gather tools for healing. It is perfect for anyone seeking knowledge and understanding around our struggles in our human experience on Mother Earth. Learning the 7 Grandfather Teachings allows us to become more Respectful, Loving,…
Restorative Reading: Our Book Club for Joyful, Healing, and Radical Reads is BACK
We know it can be tough to find time and motivation to read, especially when school and work stressors are at their peak. Restorative Reading is all about building-up a community of readers who encourage each other to read when they can as a way to decompress and learn together. We also welcome members who are interested in a book, even if they can’t commit to reading it all right now. We will provide a hard-copy of the book to the first 15 people to sign up. This is a low-barrier discussion – feel free to join if you’re always reading, can’t…