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Families or individuals impacted by sexual harm may refer themselves or be referred by a community organization.
Please contact us to be added to the waitlist for groups for those who have offended sexually, for blended support groups and peer support groups for intimate partners of those who have offended sexually.
Services are voluntary and at no cost.
CJI’s Revive program offers no-fee-required groups and services for survivors of sexual abuse. We also provide education and support groups for people who have caused sexual harm and their partners.
For People Who Have Offended Sexually
Revive runs groups for survivors of sexual harm to learn about tools and information to assist them with their healing as well as creating a community of care and support between the participants. Support groups can be a meaningful support to people who are ready to share their thoughts and feelings with others and also be able to listen and articulate care for the thoughts and feelings of others.
A 10-week group for men recovering from sexual abuse covering a variety of topics, such as, gendered messages, healthy boundaries, identifying emotions, healthy sexuality and relationships.
Please note: Revive’s 12-week Educational Group for persons who have sexually offended and the Peer Support Group for People Who Have Offended Sexually is currently on hold due to funding limitations.
Educational groups for people who have offended are open to men and gender diverse people who have been charged with sexual offences or those who choose to self-refer. Participants will work through a 12-week curriculum to better understand the root causes of their offending behaviours, healthier sexual practices and create an offence prevention plan tailored to their own experiences of harm. Please note, these groups are only available to participants who acknowledge that they have caused harm. These services are not available to those who say that they have been falsely accused.
Peers meet weekly to discuss issues related to sexual offending, gain greater understanding of impact on victims, and to develop a sexual offence prevention plan. They also reduce isolation and learn positive coping strategies through self-disclosure and accountability. On hold due to funding limitations.
Watch the story of a woman whose husband was convicted of sexual assault. Hear about her choice to stay with her husband, her struggles, and how CJI’s Partners group helped.
Restorative Justice presents a challenging and courageous approach to addressing harm. Restorative processes require individuals to engage deeply with those they have wronged, often in difficult and uncomfortable ways. Punishment processes do not focus on transforming beliefs or behaviours, whereas restorative justice focuses on building accountability that are meaningful to those harmed. Through dialogue, accountability work, and seeking to meet people’s unmet needs, restorative justice works to seek a transformative, rather than lenient, response to crime.
Restorative justice processes prioritize the participation of everyone affected by harm. However, in some cases, surrogates may step in to meet with those impacted or those responsible for the harm to facilitate understanding and accountability. Additionally, individuals may take personalized steps toward accountability or deeper understanding through conflict coaching, accountability coaching, and other forms of meaningful engagement.
Yes, restorative justice can be very effective in cases of serious crime. There are different strategies and techniques that are used by facilitators who are helping people involved in serious crime dialogue together. Restorative Justice is suitable when victims freely choose to participate and when offenders can demonstrate accountability. The level of harm has no bearing on achieving successful outcomes.
There has also been research into restorative justice options for persons involved in incidents of serious crime. Final results of one evaluation indicated “that almost all program participants were highly satisfied with the restorative approach, especially when compared to participants who experienced only the traditional criminal justice system. Victims and offenders were offered the opportunity to actively participate in the decision-making process, in developing a reparation plan and in some cases, providing a sentencing recommendation. Overall, individuals affected by serious crime were empowered to achieve satisfying justice through a restorative approach.
Rugge, T., Bonta, J., & Wallace-Capretta, S. (2005). Evaluation of the Collaborative Justice Project: A restorative justice program for serious crime. (User Report 2005-02). Ottawa: Public Safety Canada.
A Restorative Justice framework incorporates victim, offender and community in the response to harm and healing. In keeping with restorative justice principles, CJI provides services to ALL who are impacted by sexual harm, including survivors of sexual harm, people who have caused harm, partners, families, and their communities.
We believe that educating and supporting people who have offended sexually and their families plays an important role in preventing future incidents of sexual violence. Often people who have offended sexually do not receive specific treatment or support while incarcerated. As a result, they face many challenges when reintegrating to their communities.
The Revive program recognizes the importance of support and belonging for these individuals and assists them in understanding how and why they have made harmful choices, so that they can make healthier choices moving forward. Overall we strive to create safer, healthier communities.
Absolutely! Sexual offending behaviour involves unhealthy thoughts often combined with unhealthy choices and behaviour. Providing them with a safe, confidential, non-judgemental place to grow in their understanding about the harmful impact of these decisions (victim empathy), is an important part of their change process.
Through attendance in various education and support groups, people who have offended sexually have the opportunity to speak openly and honestly about matters related to sexual offending behaviour, thus ending the silence that perpetuates continued sexual harm.
We know that a large number of sexual offences happen within families, in neighbourhoods, and between people who know one another.
Victims often prioritize repairing relationships or continue to have to navigate relationships with people who caused the sexual harm or (with family members who are in contact with those who harmed them). Because of this, it is helpful and healing to have a place where survivors can sort out their often complex response to a desire for reparation.
Survivors of sexual trauma often identify the importance of their perpetrator receiving support in order to reduce the likelihood of further sexual harm.
Registered sex offenders (RSOs) report that participating in professional support services, like those offered by CJI and other organizations, is much more helpful in keeping themselves and others safe compared to their compliance with the various registries.
The National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) and Ontario Sex Offender Registry (OSOR) gather and track certain information pertaining to RSOs, and provide yearly address verifications. This may provide communities with a sense of safety. However, in order to truly effect changes in thinking, behaving, and decision making with regard to sexual offending behaviour, education and support have been proven to assist persons who struggle with these unhealthy, harmful choices.
CJI does not regard people primarily as their offence. Ultimately people who have offended sexually are human beings who have made harmful choices and mistakes.
The term “sex offender” adds to stigma by labelling people for the most harmful thing they have ever done. Similarly we do not refer to people who have survived sexual trauma as “victims” as once again, this identifies them singularly and primarily as having been sexually victimized.
We are mindful of the labels that exist that identify people by one experience, instead of recognizing and valuing all of who they truly are.
CJI creatively, and innovatively applies restorative justice principles to challenging community problems.
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