The Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre was founded in 1977 at the request of the Trent University Administration following a number of sexual assaults reported on campus. Students developed a steering committee and liaised with the broader community and other Rape Crisis Centres. The Centre was originally named Peterborough Rape Relief Centre.
On April 10, 1984, the Centre was incorporated under the name of Peterborough Rape Crisis Centre. The Centre’s name was changed to the Sexual Violence Support and Information Centre of the Kawarthas on July 1, 1994 and was once again changed on November 8, 1997 to Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre.
The Centre was staffed solely by volunteers from 1976 until 1985 when a full time Centre Coordinator was hired. The Centre continued to be staffed by volunteers except for the Centre Coordinator position until 1987 when a part-time bookkeeper and part-time Public Education Coordinator were hired. It was not until 1989 that a part-time group facilitator and a part-time counsellor were added to the staff. Volunteers continue to be an integral part of the Centre.
Today, the Centre has full-time counselling , community engagement and administrative staff. The name of the organization and its location has changed throughout the years, but the vision of the organization continues to be as a leader in the building of a safe, healing and equality-based community.
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