About the Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre

From: National Defence

Read about our mission, governance and confidentiality

Overview

The Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) provides support services to:

• currently serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)
• former members of the CAF
• Department of National Defence (DND) public service employees
• former DND public service employees
• Cadets aged 16 and older
• Junior Canadian Rangers aged 16 and older
• families of the above aged 16 and older
• members of the Defence community and caregivers who support those affected

The SMSRC provides expert advice, guidance and recommendations to DND on all matters related to sexual misconduct through the Deputy Minister and to the CAF, primarily through the Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture.

The SMSRC may engage with DND executives and management and the Chief of the Defence Staff and other CAF commanders to ensure that its advice and recommendations are understood.

The SMSRC also:

• monitors the CAF’s progress in addressing sexual misconduct
• provides subject matter expertise, evaluation and validation for DND and CAF training on sexual misconduct, including advising the Respect in the CAF Training Team
• conducts research on the prevention of sexual misconduct
• administers the Restorative Engagement program that provides options for members of the CAF-DND Sexual Misconduct Class Action Settlement to share experiences, knowledge and understanding of sexual misconduct in DND and the CAF
• administers the Community Support for Sexual Misconduct Survivors Grant Program that supports community-based service providers
• administers the Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program which provides options for those affected by sexual misconduct to get support from peers

Leadership and governance

The SMSRC operates outside and independently from the CAF chain of command within the Department of National Defence and reports directly to the Deputy Minister.

An External Advisory Council supports the SMSRC’s expert advice role.

Confidentiality and privacy

If you call the SMSRC for support, information and/or resources, you are not required to provide your name or position, reveal where you work or live, or give any other identifying information.

A support counsellor can facilitate contact or refer you anonymously to other support organizations, civilian or military, without passing on any personal information. It’s your choice.

If you are eligible and choose to opt into the Response and Support Coordination Program where a coordinator is assigned to you to provide ongoing support, some personal information will be needed to ensure that your coordinator can support you appropriately.

SMSRC support counsellors only collect information consistent with the services they provide and in accordance with Canada's Privacy Act. Confidential information is stored in a secure Government of Canada database. This database is accessible only to the SMSRC that uses the data to:

• provide services tailored to your needs
• report on performance
• analyze trends and develop statistics
• identify systemic issues for planning and development

All personal information received by the SMSRC is protected by Canada's Privacy Act. The Act allows for the release of personal information without an individual's consent under specific circumstances, such as:

• where there is a risk to public safety
• to comply with a subpoena, warrant or court order
• to comply with specific investigative authorities such as police or boards of inquiry
• serious, foreseeable and imminent harm to self/others
• a child under the law is at risk of being abused/neglected
• a disclosure that the individual has been sexually abused by a regulated health professional

Services and programs

• Get support services
• Restorative Engagement Program
• Community Support for Sexual Misconduct Survivors Grant Program
• Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program

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