Below is a collection of white papers that AASAS, in partnership with various researchers, has written to contribute to research on sexual violence in our province.
Understanding Sexual Violence Help-Seeking
Across Alberta, sexual assault services provide specialized crisis, support and information services, offering people a place to reach out for support, explore their options and connect with additional services.
The Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS) undertook a five-year analysis of data from three specialized sexual violence support and information lines that share a common data collection system. Together, these lines recorded 41,223 conversations with 16,233 unique callers from more than 135 Alberta communities between 2021 and 2025.
The findings of Understanding Sexual Violence Help-Seeking and the Role of Specialized Support and Information Lines in Alberta (2026) provide insight into when and how people seek help after sexual violence, how relationships shape help-seeking, the role of support people and professionals, and the distinct contribution of specialized support and information lines within Alberta’s broader continuum of care.
Sector Priorities for the Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence
This report outlines nine interconnected priorities to guide efforts to prevent sexual violence across Alberta’s specialized sexual violence sector. Developed through a two-phase process, the priorities build on foundational research from Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence, the expertise of AASAS member sexual assault services, and additional research and community engagement.
Together, the priorities identify opportunities for AASAS and its members to lead, collaborate, and advocate for meaningful prevention efforts—from challenging harmful social norms and addressing structural inequities to strengthening education, community partnerships, and systems change.
Children with Problematic Sexualized Behaviours – Environmental Scan & Service Needs Review
The Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS), funded by the Ministry of Health, conducted a literature review and environmental scan on children/youth with problematic sexualized behaviour.
This document provides an overview of current scholarship on the issue, identification of service resources available in the province, description of themes revealed through qualitative interviews, and recommendations that support ongoing collaboration to strengthen Alberta’s response to children and youth with problematic sexual behaviour and their families.
Prevalence of Sexual Assault and Childhood Sexual Abuse in Alberta – Key Findings
Until now, the most recent data on the prevalence of child sexual abuse in Canada was from a study chaired by Dr. Robin Badgely that took place 36 years ago.
Partnering with the Government of Alberta and the reputable research firm of R.A. Malatest and Associates, the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS) undertook research modelled on the 1984 study but expanded to gather information on sexual assault throughout the lifespan – under the age of 18, over the age of 18, and combined data.
The key findings of this research – Prevalence of Sexual Assault and Childhood Sexual Abuse in Alberta (2020) – provide insight into the prevalence and nature of Albertan’s experiences of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault throughout their lifetime.
Sector Priorities for Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence
The Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS) sought to draw from the work of IMPACT, Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence and the Government of Alberta when those organizations developed Alberta’s Primary Prevention Playbook. In collaboration with their member agencies, AASAS’s goal was to develop a set of high-level priorities for the prevention of sexual violence for their sector. The aim of this work was to review Shift’s prevention reports, integrate these findings with a community-practice lens, and identify priorities for AASAS and their membership over five years.
This document presents the identified priorities for AASAS and their membership. It is intended to be used as a guide for primary prevention work in the sexual violence sector in Alberta. The implementation of the priorities in this plan are dependent upon additional funding and resources.
Campus Sexual Violence: Guidelines for a Comprehensive Response
Campus Sexual Violence: Guidelines for a Comprehensive Response was developed by the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC) to support university and college campus communities in their response to sexual violence. The guidelines assist in the development and revision of policies and protocols, and outline various disclosure and reporting options, services, and accommodations that may be available to survivors. They also provide guidance around confidentiality and information sharing and highlight the critical components of campus sexual assault training and education.
Surveying the Landscape: Sexual Violence Plans from Around the World
This report was created in partnership by AASAS and Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence to facilitate discussion with the Government of Alberta around the primary prevention of sexual violence and to inform the development of a sexual violence action plan for Alberta. While this report focuses on sexual violence prevention, subsequent efforts will focus on sexual health strategies to create a fulsome sexual violence and sexual health prevention plan for Alberta.
Guidelines for Sexual Violence Remote Counselling: Wise Practices to Build on
This Wise Practices Guideline (Guideline) focuses on remote counselling approaches for sexual trauma, recognizing that the evidence base for processing sexual violence trauma across the life span via remote technology is still in its infancy. The scope of this Guideline includes remote sexual violence counselling for individuals and groups, across the life span, and with respect for choice, equity, inclusion, and cultural safety. It also includes wise practices for therapist wellbeing, education, and supervision that are emerging in the grey and academic literature. The scope of this Guideline is limited to synchronous therapeutic approaches via telephone and videoconferencing.
Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence: Preliminary Research
This report was created in partnership by AASAS and Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence to facilitate discussion with the Government of Alberta around the primary prevention of sexual violence, and to support the development of a sexual violence action plan for Alberta.
Intersection of Domestic and Sexual Violence – AASAS Review
This updated literature review examines literature published since the release of the report entitled Identifying potential for collaboration: Comparing and contrasting the service delivery needs of clients in women’s shelters with clients of sexual assault centres in Alberta (Identifying Potential for Collaboration Report, 2006) (Fotheringham, 2006) specifically with respect to the intersection between domestic and sexual violence, as well as the area of uniqueness and needed specialization of sexual violence. Four recommendations are included in the spirit of supporting the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS) vision of an Alberta free from sexual assault and sexual abuse.
This report is a scan of the literature from 2005-2012 to locate clinical models of treatment for trauma experiences and symptoms specific to sexual abuse and sexual assault.
There is a significant body of literature investigating child sexual abuse risk and protective factors. The following report provides an overview of risk and protective factors for both child sexual abuse victimization and perpetration and provides recommendations for consideration.
Fact Sheet: Children and Sexual Abuse
Fact Sheet: Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls
Fact Sheet: Sexual Violence Against Men and Boys
Fact Sheet: Debunking Popular Misconceptions About Children and Sexual Abuse
Fact Sheet: Debunking Popular Misconceptions about Sexual Violence
Fact Sheet: Debunking Popular Misconceptions about Men and Sexual Violence