The Government of Saskatchewan has launched The Listen Project, offering free legal advice to survivors of sexual violence.
The program, hosted by Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan, is now open to the public.
“We acknowledge that Saskatchewan has unfortunately high rates of sexual victimization and recognize sexual violence survivors often need help in responding to and overcoming such violence,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said in a written release. “The government stands with these survivors, and this program is a testament to our ongoing commitment to address the problem of sexual violence in Saskatchewan.”
The program is available at listen.plea.org or by calling 1-855-258-9415. The program gives clients a referral for up to two hours of free legal information and advice. An additional two hours of assistance might be approved when needed.
“The Listen Project is designed to help survivors overcome some of the barriers in accessing the justice system by helping them understand their legal rights and options,” PLEA Executive Director Joel Janow said in a written statement. “PLEA is very excited to be part of this important project and looks forward to helping survivors of sexual violence find their voice.”
The project handles cases involving sexual assault, sexual harassment in the workplace or past sexual abuse.
There are no age restrictions or limitations on the amount of time that has passed since the incident of sexual violence occurred. The sexual violence had to occur in Saskatchewan and does not need to be reported to police for people to be eligible for the program.
