Prevention, Empowerment, Advocacy, and Response for Survivors: The PEARS Project.

Three years ago, The PEARS Project was founded at the University of Toronto to provide all of the above to survivors of sexual assault at U of T. Our founder, Micah Kalisch, was inspired to begin this organization after observing U of T’s lack of response to sexual assault allegations within Trinity College. In just three years, PEARS has established a branch at nearly every college, campus, and faculty at U of T. We exist to provide peer support to our respective communities and the greater U of T community, as well as sexual health and mental health resources.  

It is our pleasure to inform the students of Innis College that the newest branch of The PEARS Project has been made just for you: Innis PEARS is now up and running! We were founded late last year by Stella King, the Innis PEARS president, who gained inspiration from Micah Kalisch’s speech in her WGS160 lecture. Upon hearing that Innis College was the only St. George college with no branch, she decided to take action! We’re grateful for the opportunity to support and exist in the Innis community. 

This year, we have plans to connect with our community with events such as Pumpkin Painting and Periods & the Environment, all “PEARed” with an informational workshop surrounding our mission. Additionally, PEARS members are trained in peer support by the well-established Dandelion Initiative, which involves learning trauma-informed and effective ways of supporting survivors. In practice, this can look like helping a survivor figure out their next steps, helping file a report, or simply acting as a confidential person to talk to. If you are a survivor of sexual violence and want support, please do not hesitate to contact us at innispears@gmail.com. 

Innis PEARS is now accepting new members to be part of the community! We’d love to have an official roster for community input, but peer support services and events are available for every student. Complete the form in our Instagram bio: @InnisPEARS. 

We hope to see everyone engage with The PEARS Project community!