On April 1st, 2023, WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre officially completed our transition to Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre. We’ve been deeply rooted in community over the last 40 years as WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, and we want to make sure our community continues to feel supported under our new name. To help with this evolution, we compiled this list of Frequently Asked Questions. If there are any other questions that aren’t addressed below, please reach out to admin@salalsvsc.ca.

Q: Why did WAVAW change its name?
A: Our new name reflects our evolution as an organization, and was chosen in consideration of survivor feedback that we have received over the past several years, and with a desire to deepen our decolonizing work. Our decision to rebrand is not only the culmination of 40 years of learning, but is also aspirational, as we seek to actualize our vision of a world where people of all genders can live free of sexualized violence. As we step into our new identity as Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre, we honour the voices who helped us realize that the name “WAVAW’ does not align with our current values, and hope that evolving our name to Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre offers the opportunity for more survivors from equity denied groups, and those who are, or have been erased from the feminist anti-violence movement to see themselves as part of our community.

Q: Why are we dropping “women” from the names of sexual assault support centres?
A: Over the past four years, the organization has been doing intentional work to align our values of feminism, anti-oppression and intersectionality, and de-colonization into all aspects of our work, internally and externally. This work to align has seen explicit new and emerging commitments to Two-Spirit, Trans and Gender Diverse communities and a deepening renewal and revival to the organization’s commitment to Black and Indigenous survivors and sex-working communities. The opportunity to look back and reflect has also allowed the organization to consider whether the name that defined the work of this organization in 1983 still resonates with the communities the organization seeks to support. 

WAVAW recognizes the harm that white liberal feminism has caused Indigenous, Black, Trans and Queer and Sex Working communities through much of the first and second wave of feminist organizing and activism. This also includes programming and analyses of sexual violence that erased and silenced the needs of these same communities. Now that the organization has done important internal work there is a sense that the time is now to align the name of the organization with our commitments and where we want to continue to grow and evolve.

Removing the word “woman” or “women” in our name does not change our commitment to supporting cis and trans women survivors, alongside Two-Spirit, gender diverse and non-binary folks who also experience sexualized violence. We are proud to be an organization that has invested in learning, unlearning and expanding toward greater inclusion.

Q: What does Salal mean?
A: Salal offers the beauty of different interpretations. On these lands, it refers to the plant. In other languages, it describes waterfalls and the action of lifting up. We hope these different meanings allow survivors and the community to see themselves in our new name, planting the seeds for people to feel seen and held.

Part of healing—both individually and community-wide—is rebuilding our relationships with ourselves, each other, our community and the land we call home. The earth teaches us vital lessons about resilience, transformation, interconnection, strength and nurturance. This is why we have chosen a plant as inspiration for our new name: salal. 

This plant is deeply rooted, adaptable and striking. It has maintained its place here on the coast for thousands of years. Coast Salish peoples use this plant for healing, sustenance, art and joy; it continues to surround us with opportunities for inspiration and care.

We draw inspiration from salal as an organization that will be resilient in the face of rape culture and systemic oppression. We want survivors to see Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre as a place for healing, transformative experiences and emotional sustenance. This place offers a breadth of services to meet survivors’ wide-ranging needs through every part of their journey— an organization that will remain anchored as we help create a different world free from sexual violence.

Q: How did you decide on your new name?
A: In spring 2022, our organization struck a rebrand committee and retained feminist communication, design and branding experts to guide us through a strategic and deeply reflective process of choosing a new name.

First we developed a project map that outlined our rationale for the name change, our vision for success, the values and agreements for the project, and who would be engaged, when and why. 

Our consultants conducted a thorough environmental scan of the anti-violence sector, locally and across Canada. They identified opportunities for a new identity that would be both unique in our sector and deeply aligned with our values. 

In summer 2022, we launched an online survey for survivors (including survivors not yet accessing our services). We heard from over 60 respondents after promoting the survey by email, on our website, on social media and through outreach with community partners, including those who support the sex-working community, gender-diverse folks, and Indigenous survivors. The outcomes of this survey deeply informed the brainstorming process for our new name. 

Our rebrand committee brainstormed hundreds of words and phrases that embodied our values and the priorities of survivors. Our consultants presented three rounds of names, culminating with a shortlist of three options. All current staff and board were then invited to participate in a comprehensive name evaluation process, through which we evaluated shortlisted names against 11 criteria, including comprehensive research about name availability, risks and opportunities. Salal scored the highest, which the committee subsequently endorsed as the preferred name. Our board of directors voted to adopt the new name at a board meeting on January 18, 2023.

Q: Who was involved in choosing the new name?
A: The journey to develop a new name and brand was led by a rebrand committee, a mix of current staff and board members who represent diverse lived experiences and identities reflective of the communities we serve. 

We worked with Spur Communication, a local, feminist, women-led communication agency, as well as NewNew Studios, a local brand and design agency led by a woman of colour. Together Spur and NewNew guided us through the process of selecting our new name and brand. 

We also consulted Cease Wyss, a Skwxwu7mesh, Sto:Lo, and Hawaiian-Swiss ethno-botanist (see below). 

Q: What steps were taken to consult Indigenous communities throughout this process?
A: We acknowledge the complexity of doing sexual violence work on the unceded and unsurrendered territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlil̓wətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) as well as across Turtle Island. It is not an easy task to talk about autonomy, liberation, consent and healing from sexual violence, while living on unsurrendered territories where colonial and structural violence is ongoing. We must consider how colonialism and imperialism have shaped, and continue to shape, survivors’ experiences of sexual violence, as well as the support they require to heal. Our vision for the renaming process ensured the organization centralized our commitment to doing all aspects of our work in decolonizing ways.

Salal was a resonant name choice because it signifies our ties to our coastal region without using place names prescribed by colonizers (names like Vancouver or British Columbia). To ensure this term was appropriate to use, we reached out to Cease Wyss, a Skwxwu7mesh, Sto:Lo, and Hawaiian-Swiss ethno-botanist, traditionally trained in this field by Indigenous Elders. A media artist and Aboriginal plant specialist, her work involves site-specific and culturally focused teaching with storytelling as her means to sharing knowledge. 

Cease advised us that while this plant is a native shrub in western North America, salal is an English term, not an Indigenous term for the plant that would belong to local Indigenous peoples. She invited us to reach out to the host Nations and let them know about our new name and inspiration as a gesture of connection and acknowledgement. The Executive Director and Board Chair did so in January, 2023.

That said, aligned with our ongoing work to deepen our relationship with the Indigenous peoples on whose stolen and unceded land we work, we have reached out to the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations to inform them of our name change. We hope our new name helps us continue to earn trust and expand supports for this community, including no cost individual counselling for Indigenous survivors of sexualized violence, families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+), survivors of residential school and/or intergenerational trauma, and childhood sexual abuse.

We also acknowledge that there is no pan-Indigenous experience, and that each Indigenous person, and Nation is unique. As with all change, our rebrand may have been imperfect  and we humbly welcome the opportunity to follow any protocols that we missed and to have an opportunity to make any correction if required. 

Q: When did WAVAW begin the process to change its name?
A: We first explored changing our name in 2014. The process ended with a decision to refer to the organization using the acronym only (WAVAW ) rather than the full name and meaning behind the acronym (Women Against Violence Against Women). Depending on the context, the name WAVAW sometimes included Rape Crisis Centre, but not always. 

In 2018, we expanded our service delivery mandate beyond cis and trans women to be inclusive of all trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit and gender diverse survivors. In addition to several critical learnings about how to better serve these communities, the  Inclusion Project also revived the question of when and how to update our name to be more truly welcoming and inclusive.

In April 2022, the Executive Director and Board of Directors initiated a formal process to identify a new name and brand identity for the organization. By October 2022, we had chosen our new name, Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre. By December 2022, our design partner had developed the central components of our new brand. Our full visual identity  was fully complete by February 2023.

Q: What will change when the new name takes effect?
A: Nothing about our survivor-centred mission, educational programs and accessible services will change.

We will continue to operate our 24-hour Crisis & Information Line (including text and online chat functions), victim services, counselling services, Indigenous support programs, support for gender-diverse survivors and accompaniment services to the hospital, police or to court. We will also continue to offer educational outreach and transformative work to foster systemic change—just under a new name. 

Q: How do I find you under your new name?
A: Our new website is www.salalsvsc.ca. After April 1st, 2023, if you try to visit www.wavaw.ca or any of the pages on this website, you will be redirected to www.salalsvsc.ca. 

As of April 1st, 2023, we are @salalsvsc on Instagram, @salalsvsc on Twitter, @SalalSVSC on Facebook, and @salalsvsc on Twitch. Our new LinkedIn page is here too.

Our mailing address is the same:

2405 Pine Street
P.O. Box 46851
Vancouver, BC
V6J 5M4, Canada

Our phone numbers are the same, though as of April 1, 2023, we will answer as Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre:

• 24-Hour Crisis & Information Line:
  • Lower Mainland: 604-255-6344
  • National Toll-free: 1-877-392-7583
• Office: 604-255-6228

Q: I’m a monthly donor. Do I have to update my recurring donation?
A: No. Your monthly donation will continue without interruption and no action is required from you. Soon you will notice “Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre” on your credit card bill. 

Q: I give online when I can. What will change the next time I want to give?
A: Next time you want to make a gift, simply visit our new donation page: www.salalsvsc.ca/donate

Q: I give by cheque. What will change the next time I want to give?
A: Next time you want to make a gift, please make your cheque payable to: Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre. If you forget, we can still deposit cheques payable to WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre.

Q: I am one of your funders or community partners. How should we update your organization’s name and logo on our materials?
A: Please share the news of our name change with your team. 

Please update references to our organization to Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre (formerly WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre) anywhere it appears on your website or other materials. 

Please update any links to our organization on your website with the new web pages using the root URL of www.salalsvsc.ca. For example, www.wavaw.ca/get-support/ has become www.salalsvsc.ca/get-support/ If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to admin@salalsvsc.ca.