A brief herstory

ABOUT TRCC/MWAR

This organization was started in 1974 as the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre, by a group of women in the community who were aware of the lack of services and support for women who had been raped. This was a time when the feminist movement in Canada was rapidly organizing itself into community based groups - the first women's shelters and women's centres started in the mid 70's, including Nellies, Immigrant Women's Centre, Anduyhuan Shelter, The Women's Counselling, Referral and Education Centre.

We are a volunteer, community based women's organization operating independently. We work as feminist/womanist peer counsellors, and we believe that women are experts or authorities on their own lives. Unlike many forms of therapy, we do not advise or direct women on their healing, but instead we offer women support and resources so they gain control over their own lives, and our counselling centres on helping one meet their own needs and their own goals. We are not rescuers or advisors, and we do not make judgments. TRCC/MWAR counsellors offer a woman a place to be heard, often for the first time in their life. We believe these principles are key to women's empowerment.

The TRCC/MWAR developed and expanded its mandate in the 70's and 80's, offering a wide range of services to all kinds of sexual abuse survivors, including rape, sexual assault, incest, sexual harassment and physical and emotional violence. Then, as now, we provide a 24 hour crisis line, face to face counseling and support groups for survivors. We advocate for women within the legal system, around housing and immigration, with landlords, schools, and other institutions.

The 1990's have been a decade of change and growth. The TRCC expanded its name to "Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape" in order to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with. Our staff and volunteer members represent a broad range of racial and cultural groups, and we continue to try and achieve our vision of an organization that truly is for all women and transfolk in the community.