What will happen when I call the crisis line?

1.

You will encounter a voicemail prompt instructing you to input your phone number.

2.

The crisis counsellor on duty will then receive your voicemail and contact information.

3.

The counsellor on duty will call the number you provided from a blocked number.

NOTE

Due to high call volumes, TRCC/MWAR can only support a maximum number of calls per day from one caller.

About the crisis line

The TRCC crisis line is made possible by a large collective of volunteer peer crisis line counsellors. These counsellors undergo more than 40 hours of training provided by the Centre. Crisis line counsellors come from all walks of life, some of whom are survivors themselves, and reflect the diversity of population we serve in the city of Toronto.

A trained and experienced peer counsellor is available to speak with any and all survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and their supporters, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our counsellors are here to listen to you, hold space, and offer emotional support.

Is the crisis line really confidential?

YES. All calls are private, between you and your peer counsellor.

  • A counsellor will never ask for any identifying information (legal name, age, address, etc.).
  • A counsellor will never keep records or notes regarding calls.
  • A counsellor will never pressure you to share any details of your story. It is okay to keep things non-specific.
  • Counsellors answer calls from their own, remote, secure locations, behind closed doors, and not within earshot of anyone else.
  • Counsellors delete the phone number they used to reach you after the call.

What can I expect during the call?

Calls last about 20 minutes due to the high volume of calls we receive, however, you can decide to end the call before that.

The content of the call is up to you. You can talk about anything to do with your experience as a survivor, or anything that is top of mind, even if it seems unrelated. You will never be expected to justify why you are calling your line, or to explain how your call is related to an experience of violence.

Due to high call volumes, there will be a wait before you receive a call from the counsellor. There may be a wait before you receive a call from the counsellor. We make every effort to respond to calls in a timely manner. Crisis line calls are returned on a first come, first served basis.

Will my information be shared or reported?

This is a completely anonymous service, and therefore will not have information about you to make a report. We do not know your real name, location, or any other identifying information.

Therefore, if you disclose any sensitive information about an assault, your survivorship, or suicidal ideation, we cannot involve external agencies. You get to decide what identifying information you share with us.

As a survivor-led organization, we believe that autonomy in decision-making is very important in healing from violence. We will not make decisions for you. If you decide to make a report, we can support you and connect you with a staff member.

If you are dealing with suicidal ideation or self-harm, we are here to support your survivorship. Peer counsellors will listen to you and hold space for this experience. If you are having active suicide ideation, and are looking for someone to stop you, please reach out to 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Respectful Engagement on the Crisis Line

We do not tolerate pranks or harassing behaviour. If you engage in threatening and violent speech, including sexually abusive statements, racist statements, or any kind of discriminatory actions that violate our volunteer counsellors’ rights and safety, we will end the call. We will explain the respect we expect to be able to provide you with support. We will let you know when we are ending a call because you are not adhering to our community values.

We know that some survivors have also perpetrated sexual violence or abuse. We can support you around your survivorship, but providing support about your experience perpetrating violence as an adult is not within our mandate. As a survivor-led organization, it is up to our peer counsellors to decline to support you if you are talking about perpetrating violence.

Visit our Resources page for more support