Episode 5: Steve Tsuida Part 2

The goal of Courage Stories is to share lived experiences so we can build empathy and begin a meaningful dialogue around how we can courageously be ourselves and true allies for each other. Some of these stories may be difficult to listen to. This week we continue our discussion with Steve Tsuida. Steve is a survivor of sexual assault. In this episode he recounts how he found the courage to deal with his past. We also talk to Nikki Bernier-Singh from the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) about the supports available to survivors and how we can create safer workplaces. Please note: If you are struggling with issues related to the topic of sexual assault, you may want to take a moment to decide if this episode is something you're prepared to listen to right now. As noted above there is a great debrief with an expert included that explores topics such as how to be an ally for someone disclosing a sexual assault experience to you or how to seek help - including myth busters - if you yourself have experienced sexual assault. Regardless you may choose to wait until you're in a comfortable place to listen to Steve's story or ask a trusted friend or family member to listen to his story with you. Resources: There are many supports available for survivors and allies. You can contact Homewood Health (homeweb.ca), SACE (sace.ca) and the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (https://aasas.ca/about-us/). All these resources are completely confidential and free. We hope this podcast begins a meaningful discussion so that we can begin to end the stigma and start a conversation around healing, belonging and positive mental health.