BC Association of Specialized Victim Assistance and Counselling Programs

The BCASVACP works to coordinate and support the work of victim-serving and other anti-violence programs in BC through the provision of issue-based consultation and analysis of resource development, training, research and education. Our work is guided by respect for difference, human dignity and equality. – BCASVACP Mission Statement

The BC Association of Specialized Victim Assistance and Counselling Programs (BCASVACP) is a charitable, non-profit organization that provides services to over 200 funded anti-violence programs across British Columbia:

• Community-Based Victim Assistance Programs
• Stopping the Violence Counselling Programs
• Stopping the Violence Outreach Programs
• Sexual Assault/Woman Assault Centres

Our mandate is to provide support and training, undertake research, develop and distribute resources and tools, educate the public and government bodies on the needs of victims of violence, develop and maintain standards for the provision of service, and foster the development of cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration.

Goals

• To serve as a coordinating, centralized organization in British Columbia that supports and assists individual agencies providing victim and survivor-related support and counselling services.

• To address the needs of programs supporting victims in British Columbia through training, education and information exchange, on issues related to providing service and support for people who have been traumatized by victimization.

• To provide programs across British Columbia with updated, accessible information regarding policy and legislative initiatives or changes and analysis of current relevant issues.

• To work in partnership with other provincial organizations, educational institutions and other key organizations in related fields to ensure that member programs are in a strong position to guide and improve our service to victims of violence in this province.

• To act as a credible and visible liaison between Government and community through coordinating involvement in consultative processes. As well, by analyzing legislation and policy through a lens that looks at gender, race, class and other forms of marginalization, this organization works proactively in assisting government to remove barriers to the safety of all peoples.

• To manage programs and projects that assist all survivors’ efforts to achieve safety, equality and dignity at the individual and systemic levels.

• To educate the public on the issue of victims of violence, particularly women and children who have been victimized by child physical and sexual abuse (recent or historical); relationship violence; sexual assault; and criminal harassment.

• To provide support, information-sharing and networking for specialized support and counselling service providers in an effort to alleviate isolation, maintain healthy organizations and continue to increase skills and knowledge, including the coordination of province-wide training based on needs identified by individual programs.

• To act as a consultant to individual programs in the area of program administration and clinical practice and to offer consultative services to offender-serving programs to prevent the re-victimization of victims of violence.

• To coordinate with other sectors, namely, the justice, health, and social service systems in an effort to increase their knowledge and understanding of related issues to reduce re-victimization and increase support and safety for those who have been victimized.

History

Prior to the establishment of the BCASVACP in 1992, provincial funds enabled BC Sexual Assault Centres to meet and discuss issues on a yearly basis. The centres began discussing the idea of forming a provincial association to meet their needs and those of other Community-Based Victim Assistance programs for networking and information sharing and reducing duplication of effort. There were already such organizations in place to coordinate and represent Police-Based Victim Assistance Programs, Women's Centres and Transition Houses. A Secretary of State grant enabled a formal feasibility study, and in 1992, the Association arose from our founding General Meeting. In 1994, Stopping the Violence Counselling Programs were included as members, and in 2007 the Association began providing support to the new STV Outreach Programs for a two-year trial period.