In recognition of Children's Mental Health Week and Sexual Violence Prevention Month, education, local police services, and social service organizations across Huron and Perth Counties have come together to launch a new Huron Perth Child and Youth Sexual Violence Support Guide. This guide is designed to support professionals in responding to disclosures of sexual violence involving children and youth and supports timely, coordinated access to appropriate care.
Developed over three years through extensive community collaboration, the guide includes an easy-to-follow poster, instructional video, and webinar that were disseminated to community agencies and service providers between January and May 2026. Together, these resources provide frontline workers with a consistent workflow that clearly outlines service pathways, the rights of children and youth, and available support across both counties.
Statistics Canada reports that youth aged 12 to 17 accounted for 30 per cent of police-reported sexual assault victims in 2022, highlighting the increased vulnerability of young people and the urgent need for early, coordinated support. According to the Canadian Centre of Child Protection one in ten Canadians is sexually victimized before the age of 18, and that the vast majority of child sexual abuse is never reported, leaving many survivors silent well into adulthood. The Public Health Agency of Canada emphasizes that everyone in Canada deserves to be safe and free from violence, noting that Sexual Violence Prevention Month is a critical opportunity to raise awareness, promote prevention, and support survivors.
This project was made possible through the dedication and partnership of the following organizations:
- Artemis Huron (formerly Huron Women's Shelter)
- Avon Maitland District School Board
- Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board
- Huron-Perth Children's Aid Society
- Huron and Perth Ontario Provincial Police
- Huron Perth Public Health
- Optimism Place Women's Shelter and Support
- Services
- Stratford Police Service
- Victim Services Huron Perth
This guide is intended as a starting point for a consistent, community-wide approach to supporting children and youth under the age of 18 when sexual violence is disclosed. Victim Services Huron Perth, Artemis Huron, and Optimism Place will continue to lead and advocate for this work, ensuring the voices and needs of survivors remain at the centre of the community's response
For more information
62 Chalk Street North
Seaforth Ontario
Canada N0K 1W0
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