SOAR Initiative

Empowering survivors of sexual violence, & advocating for the equitable access to the resources, care, & supports they need. 🩵💜💙 Home of #OntarioSaysNOMORE

[The Diary Of A Social Gal (Stephanie Dolce) @AxTheEx]

We’ve been actively calling on the NHL and NHLPA to adopt a comprehensive, public-facing, league-specific policy addressing sexual violence, domestic violence, and child abuse.
If you’d be interested in supporting or amplifying this call to action, you can learn more here:

Public petition : https://t.co/gQGMWhZzVo
Open Letter : https://t.co/EYvQn49Nue

🩵💜💙

[Rick Westhead @rwesthead]

Two youth hockey players appeared in youth court in Truro, Nova Scotia, today to be arraigned on multiple sexual assault charges stemming from an alleged incident involving a minor hockey team.
The two accused were 14 at the time of the alleged offences but have since turned 15. Both boys are accused of sexually assaulting three teammates at an undisclosed location on Oct. 3.
A weapon was used in one of the sexual assaults, police have alleged. One of the boys faces a charge of common assault, replacing an earlier allegation of assault with a weapon involving urine.
Authorities have not released the identities of those involved because they are minors.
Two other youths who were arrested in connection with the investigation will not face charges.
The case has been adjourned until May 25 to allow the defence to review disclosures by the Crown before the boys enter pleas.

[CBC Olympics @CBCOlympics]

OPINION | Media needs to be better when it comes to covering the difficult issues in hockey https://t.co/DmA8goMnYN

[Lola @Lola19860405]

So disappointing, Elliotte Friedman 🙄 #hnic

[SOAR Initiative @SOAR_Canada]

Hearing @FriedgeHNIC compare a potential Ryan O’Reilly trade to dating on Hockey Night in Canada was disappointing. Framing “no” as something to push past, even as a metaphor, reinforces harmful ideas.

Sports media, reflect & speak up. Words matter. #ChangeTheLanguage
@Sportsnet

[Rick Westhead @rwesthead]

Two youth have been formally charged with sexual assault by RCMP in Colchester County, Nova Scotia, in connection with a series of incidents on a minor-hockey team in the Truro area this season.
The RCMP said today that one youth has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault with a weapon. A second youth was charged with two counts of sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon, and assault with a weapon.
Two other youths who were arrested will not be charged, the RCMP said.
The alleged assaults occurred repeatedly over a span of months both at a house party in October 2025 and in the team’s locker room, a person familiar with the matter told TSN.
The person said the youth who have been charged are scheduled to be arraigned Apr. 14.
About 60 people attended a rally on Wednesday in support of the alleged victims and to voice their opposition to a decision by school officials to allow one of the alleged perpetrators to return to classes in the same school attended by several of the alleged victims.
https://t.co/rpDlURiig1

[SOAR Initiative @SOAR_Canada]

WNBA player Rickea Jackson is named only in her relation to James Pearce Jr.
Headline centres on his status & alleged violence against police & sidelines the alleged violence against her, including reports he rammed her car to stop her reaching police.
#ChangeTheLanguage 🩵💜💙

[WeBelieve @WeBelieveEM]

If Carter Hart wanted the play to stop, he should have spoke up and said something and not be intimidated by the 10 hockey players that assumed that he was fine and continued to do whatever they wanted…

If that sounds insane, why are we suppose to expect more from EM?

[SOAR Initiative @SOAR_Canada]

Language shapes culture. Culture shapes accountability.

Next month, we launch #ChangeTheLanguage, a movement challenging myths & how everyday language shapes views of sexual & domestic violence.

Call out for social media mbassadors coming January 2026.
🩵💜💙

[Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime (Office) @OFOVC]

#SurvivorSunday https://t.co/6PvO4Ps8oO

[Rick Westhead @rwesthead]

A woman who has filed a civil lawsuit accusing former NHL player Willie Mitchell of sexual assault was an “active participant” who verbally and physically indicated enjoyment and consent throughout the encounter, Mitchell's lawyer wrote in a court filing.
Mitchell has maintained he took reasonable steps to ensure consent and had no reason to doubt the plaintiff’s capacity.
According to Mitchell’s six-page court filing, “a person who has blackouts may still be capable of consenting.”
Mitchell argued that even if the plaintiff lacked capacity, he had a reasonable belief the plaintiff was consenting, based on her words and conduct.

[Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime (Office) @OFOVC]

We released a statement on the 23-24 Annual Report.
We must review the CVBR.
We need to ensure the OFOVC's autonomy to meet demands.
Read it here: https://t.co/rTMBkpuKuj

[ShiannonCorcoran💉x4 @shiannonc.bsky.social @ShiannonC]

The Tom Silvagni case was more than the rape of an innocent victim…

.. it was about how the rights of the wealthy and powerful can override the rights of the small, the weak, the vulnerable and the truth.

This man child has been found guilty and his dirty and deplorable actions have been made public- despite his family’s opposition to making their name public and despite their every effort to shield their son - and themselves - from the financial and personal connotations of being outed in the community.

Tom Silvagni was raised as a child of the elite. He was a student at the Xavier College in Kew. He has been described as a bully and somebody who looked down on others who he did not deem worthy of his company. It is likely that he thought he was untouchable no matter what he did. His family well and truly reinforced that belief by attempting to shield him from the consequences of his actions.

It should not be a case of the more money you have and the more power you wield that you have the freedom to engage in any duplicitous activity you choose and an automatic immunity from prosecution or consequence - but it is proven time and again that this is often the case.

The lessons that are learned by the wealthy are too few. It’s also pathetic that this family are still fighting for his “innocence” instead of reinforcing the consequences of his actions.

[Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime (Office) @OFOVC]

To all the survivors who shared their experiences with us. Thank you. We are grateful to each of you. Your voices matter, & you are at the heart of this report. Together, we can make that change happen. https://t.co/1dOjVXmtdv #RethinkingJustice

[Canadian Femicide Observatory 🇨🇦 @CAN_Femicide]

@SOAR_Canada #CallItFemicide
Why Canada needs to recognize the crime of femicide — on Dec. 6 and beyond
https://t.co/wDrSH2nKFC

[SOAR Initiative @SOAR_Canada]

On December 6th, we remember and honour the 14 lives tragically taken during the violent, misogynistic attack at École Polytechnique on December 6th, 1989.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women 🤍

#16Days #femicide #whiteribbonday #jourdurubanblanc

[Rick Westhead @rwesthead]

“Hazing and passing along abusive, toxic attitudes toward sex and women are not some creatures of the past. They are very much still here, still being passed down from group of veteran players to young, innocent rookies, a never-ending cycle.”

Appreciate Patrick Johnston (@risingaction) review of We Breed Lions in Post Media newspapers.

[SOAR Initiative @SOAR_Canada]

Very much looking forward to reading this! 🩵💜💙

[Rick Westhead @rwesthead]

My book WE BREED LIONS: Confronting Canada’s Troubled Hockey Culture is out today.
Thank you to the team at @randomhouseca for believing in this book and thanks to Stephen Brunt for writing the forward.
I’m grateful to @TSN_Sports for its commitment to sports journalism and I appreciate the many people in the game who spoke to me about their love for hockey and their desire to make it better.
I'm donating proceeds from this book to Canadian organizations such as the London Abused Women’s Centre that are trying to end gender-based violence and others that are striving to make sports more accessible.
You can order the book via @chaptersindigo here:
https://t.co/PMUdATOVeh

[Rick Westhead @rwesthead]

A number of people have already reached out saying this quote from @AlliForsyth in We Breed Lions hits home.
Allison is a leading voice in this space and it's great to hear how many sports organizations and school boards across Canada are asking her to educate young people about issues related to respect and consent.

[Canadian Femicide Observatory 🇨🇦 @CAN_Femicide]

When so-called 'leaders' don't understand criminal justice system.

Savannah was killed in #Ontario.

Laws don't have an impact if they are not implemented.

Bail administered at provincial/territorial level.

@fordnation has never officially recognized #femicide.

#CallItFemicide