As reports rise and stigma persists, local advocates use visibility and community engagement to support survivors.
In Charlotte County, New Brunswick, an annual grassroots initiative is drawing attention to a persistent and often unspoken issue: sexual violence. Teal Day, held May 30, 2025, is organized by the Willow Centre, a sexual violence resource centre based in St. Stephen.
The campaign invites residents to wear teal—a colour designated in 2001 by the U.S.-based National Sexual Violence Resource Centre—to raise awareness about sexual violence and support survivors.
But beyond symbolic gestures, Teal Day serves as a touchpoint for a wider effort to normalize conversations about sexual violence in communities where stigma often prevails. In a region where public services are limited and travel to larger cities for support can be prohibitive, the Willow Centre’s presence is one of the only lifelines for survivors of sexual assault.
“This month is about chipping away at silence,” said Sam Gullison, who helps coordinate the centre’s community outreach and is the founder of Teal Day in the community. “We use the visibility of Teal Day to remind people that sexual violence happens here—and survivors deserve support here.”
According to data from the Willow Centre, 41 sexual assaults were reported in Charlotte County last year. But the centre estimates those cases represent only a fraction of actual incidents. Nationally, only 5 to 6 percent of sexual assaults are reported to police. In the first three months of 2025 alone, from January to March 14, 2025, 21 cases were already documented by the centre—half of last year’s total in just one quarter.
Willow Centre Sexual Violence Counsellor Stephanie Clarke says the stigma surrounding sexual violence remains one of the most significant barriers to reporting and recovery. “Stigma keeps people isolated. It tells them their experiences are shameful, or that they won’t be believed,” Clarke said. “Our job is to push against that—to offer safety and support whether someone chooses to report or not.”
The Willow Centre offers free counselling, advocacy, and crisis intervention. But like many rural service providers, it operates on limited funding, balancing frontline care with public education. The centre’s staff also travel to neighbouring communities to provide mobile services, an increasingly common model for rural mental health care in Canada.
Community participation in Teal Day includes small businesses offering support and local artists contributing teal-themed items for fundraising. In one example, a quilt donated by a local craftsperson is being raffled to support the centre’s operations. While modest, such efforts reflect an evolving willingness among residents to make the issue visible.
Still, organizers say visibility alone is not enough. “Wearing teal is a start,” Gullison said. “But we need policy, we need funding, and we need people to be willing to talk about what sexual violence looks like in small towns—not just in theory, but in real life.”
Clarke points to a broader shift in community understanding. “The numbers show this is not rare. One in three women, one in six men.” If you think this doesn’t touch your life, you’re likely just not hearing the stories.
As Sexual Violence Awareness Month continues, the Willow Centre plans to expand its programming, including a series of “pop-up” conversations and educational sessions in schools and public spaces. Their goal is not only to support survivors, but to build a culture that challenges myths and centres consent, accountability, and healing.
In a province where health-care resources remain under strain and rural services are often left behind, the work of the Willow Centre underscores how local action can fill systemic gaps—but not replace broader structural change. Teal Day, while symbolic, reveals the underlying need: sustained investment, stigma-free support, and public engagement with an issue that extends far beyond one day in May.
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