Chat Support

Introducing TRCC/MWAR’s New Chat Support Service 

*** Available Wednesdays to Sundays, 7pm – 12am***

TRCC/MWAR’s Chat Support service will be avail­able start­ing Wednesday, October 27th 2021! We will operate Wednesday through Sunday from 7:00 pm to 12 midnight. A trained and experienced peer counsellor will be available to chat with any and all survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and their supporters. Our Chat Support is: 

  • Free
  • Anonymous
  • Con­fi­den­tial 
  • Live 

 The TRCC/MWAR is a survivor-centered, survivor-led organization. We work from an anti-oppression, anti-racist, intersectional feminist framework. Our counsellors are here to listen to you, hold space, and offer emotional support. 

 

How can I access Chat Support? 

  1. You can access Chat Support from a mobile phone, desktop computer, or tablet. Go to trccmwar.ca and click on the purple “Start a New Chat ” widget on the bottom right corner of TRCC/MWAR’s website.
  2. Read and accept the Terms & Conditions.
  3. The Chat widget will connect you to a trained peer counsellor. That’s it!

 

Note: The Web Chat widget will be visible on our home page, and our Chat Support page only during the hours that the service is available (Wednesdays to Sundays, 7pm – 12am). 

The Web Chat widget has been tested on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox only. It is NOT compatible with Internet Explorer. 

 
 
Is this service really confidential? 

The short answer is YES. Here’s how we ensure this: 

  • We will never ask you for any identifying information (no asking for your name, age, address, or anything like that!). We do not keep records of our chats. You can share or not share to your comfort level. A counsellor will never pressure you to share any information with us that you do not want to share. We do not need to know the facts of your experience, it is enough to talk about your thoughts and feelings. It is okay to keep things non-specific. 
  • Your conversation on our Chat is between you and your peer counsellor. Chats are private and confidential. Only the service user and the counsellor can be present in the Chat room. 
  • Our Chat Service is built on a secure, end to end encrypted platform. Your digital footprint is erased every 30 seconds (this includes any cookies, IP address, etc). This ensures your information as a service user stays protected and stays anonymous. 
  • You decide when to exit the conversation. To end a chat all you need to do is click on the “X” at the bottom. You can also exit by clicking the Quick Escape button in the bottom right corner. Leaving the chat will automatically delete all traces of your conversation with us. 

For added security, we recommend that you clear your browsing history when you leave the Chat. Click here to find out how to access private browsing or how to clear browsing history.

 

What can I expect from Chat Support? 

  • Like our Crisis Line, Chat Support has an intended limit of about 20 minutes per chat. You can decide to end the chat before that. A lot happens in 20 minutes! We find this is usually enough time to listen and support. 
  • Chat Support will start promptly at 7:00 pm. Chat intakes for the day end at 11:40 pm. This is to ensure all people accessing the chat (including the last person of the evening) get about 20 mins with the peer counsellor. 
  • If you are in a chat room and 10 min­utes pass with­out the counsellor receiv­ing a new mes­sage from you, the chat will close auto­mat­i­cal­ly. We do this for your privacy, in case you are not attending to your conversation. Your message history will disappear. However, you are wel­come to start a new chat when you’re ready!
  • If you nav­i­gate away from the TRCC/MWAR website the chat room will disappear automatically. If there are technical issues on either end, the chat room will get disconnected. In any case where your chat room disappears, you will be able to open up a new chat and get reconnected with the same peer counsellor. Simply refresh the page and send a new chat request! Sending a new request will reset your place in line. 
  • Chat Support will run on a first come, first served basis. You will see a message explaining that the counsellor is currently attending to other users. The counsellor will respond when it is your turn in line. 
  • If you have questions, concerns, or would like to give us your feedback you are very welcome! This is a pilot project from the TRCC/MWAR, and your support is greatly appreciated. Feel free to email . 
 

Please Note: If you need support when the Chat is not available, please call our 24-Hour Crisis Line at 416-597-8808 to speak to a peer counsellor.