Safety, Survival & Solidarity Project

Empowering Youth to Lead Change: The Safety, Survival & Solidarity Project Telling Stories. Building Awareness. Creating Change.

Watch the Videos

It Happens Here

Safety – this short film highlights that sexual assault can happen anywhere. It even happens here, on our beautiful island.

Salt Spring Speaks

Safety – more than 50 Salt Spring youth answered survey questions to help us gain a broader understanding of how sexual assault and violence has impacted youth in our community.

A Survivor's Story

Survival – a personal journey on how a survivor of assault found support in the community. This film highlights some services provided by IWAV.

A Guide to Healing

Survival – an animation that highlights some important information for folks who have or know someone who has experienced sexual assault.

Circles of Support

Solidarity – an artistic visual expression of support among friends.

Solidarity

Solidarity – Solidarity – a powerful spoken word piece challenging all of us to step up, move beyond being a bystander and be an upstander.

What Is the Safety, Survival and Solidarity Project?

The Safety, Survival, and Solidarity (SSS) Project is a youth-driven initiative created by Islanders Working Against Violence (IWAV) and made possible through funding from the Province of British Columbia.

Over several months, local youth collaborated to create a series of powerful short films that tackle the realities of sexualized violence in their communities. This project empowers youth to take the lead in conversations about safety, consent, healing, and solidarity.

These 2–3 minute films offer practical tools and heartfelt messages aimed at preventing harm, supporting survivors, and fostering safer, more compassionate communities. Using storytelling, animation, and real-life reflection, they explore the following themes:

Safety – Setting healthy boundaries, building awareness, and staying safe in different situations.
Survival – Understanding trauma, navigating life after assault, and accessing support.
Solidarity – Standing with survivors, fostering accountability, and envisioning safer communities.

A Safe Place: Golden Hour by Aio Panwar.

Why We Made These Videos

Salt Spring Island and the surrounding Southern Gulf Islands experience sexual assault rates significantly higher than the provincial average. Youth are especially vulnerable — and often overlooked in conversations about prevention and support.

This project was created in response to that need. By equipping youth with the tools, knowledge, and platform to speak out, the SSS Project is breaking down the stigma around sexual violence and encouraging honest, community-wide dialogue.

“This project opened my eyes. I didn’t realize how common sexualized violence is or how much we normalize harmful behaviors. Creating these videos gave me hope that we can change things by talking about it.”
— Youth participant

Real Conversations. Real Change

The SSS Project videos have already been screened at public events across the Southern Gulf Islands, where youth participants led panel discussions to answer questions and share their insights.

These events sparked powerful community conversations and helped reduce stigma around sexualized violence. The videos are now part of a growing resource package to be shared with other small and rural communities across British Columbia, helping others start similar conversations in their own regions.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to:

Watch and share the videos with friends, schools, and community groups.
Connect with IWAV if you or someone you know needs support. Visit our Sexual Assault Support Services page for more information or Contact Us to learn how to get involved.

With Gratitude

This project was made possible through funding from the Provincial Civil Forfeitures Grant from the Province of British Columbia, supporting initiatives that promote safety, awareness, and violence prevention in our communities.