We Are Building Something Groundbreaking. Open the Doors with Us to a Different Kind of Care.
After Fiona was sexually assaulted, she didn’t call 911. She didn’t go to the hospital. She went home, closed the blinds, curled up on the sofa, and asked herself a heartbreaking question:
“Who will believe me—and care for me—without judgment?”
For Fiona, and for countless survivors like her, a hospital was never going to feel safe. As a racialized trans woman, she had already faced a lifetime of being questioned, doubted, and harmed by institutions meant to protect her.
The thought of entering yet another environment that might deny her pain, question her gender, or undermine her very right to essential care was simply too much to bear.
So, she didn’t go. She didn’t receive medical attention. She didn’t have evidence collected. She didn’t get support—because the support that she needed wasn’t yet built for her.
We’re on the cusp of opening the Lower Mainland’s first community-based sexual assault clinic—a space where survivors are at the center, and care is rooted in respect, cultural safety, and choice.
No judgment. No police presence. No harsh fluorescent lights. No hospital gowns—none of it—unless the survivor chooses it.
You can help open the doors to this life-changing space.
The clinic will be nestled within the same building as our current centre, creating a seamless path to healing where survivors can access all of Salal’s wraparound services in one place.
Here, every choice belongs to the survivor, and every step forward is supported with affirmation, choice and dignity.
This clinic won’t fully replace hospital-based programs. But it will finally offer an alternative for those who have always been left out. It’s a bold reimagining of what support can and should look like for all survivors.
And you can be part of this historic moment.
To open the doors, we need to raise $24,500 to purchase the final equipment and supplies that will make this clinic a reality. Your donation today will help outfit the clinic with these essential items:
- An accessible exam table
- A forensic evidence freezer
- A medical-grade autoclave and trolleys
- Fresh clothing in every size for those who wish to shower and change after their exam
These aren’t just supplies—they’re the building blocks of care. Give your gift now and help build a different kind of care .
By donating today, you’ll bring this innovative, community-rooted vision to life—one where survivors are met with care that truly reflects their needs, identities, and choices. Will you stand with us in making this groundbreaking clinic a reality?
With deep gratitude,
Dalya Israel (she/her)
Executive Director
Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre
P.S. The space is secured, and renovations are on the horizon. By making your gift today, you are taking your place among the changemakers who will open this clinic and redefine what survivor-centered care looks like.
