Celebrating 50 years of rsac
It all started in 1975...
From the growing wave of feminist activism across North America, rose a small but mighty grassroots group of women in Regina, with a steadfast commitment to improving the lives and well being of women in their community. In June, 1975, Abby Ulmer and Denise Hildebrand opened the doors to the Regina Women’s Community Centre. This small drop-in centre for women filled a much needed gap, and needs for the services grew year after year - at a time when few supports existed for survivors, the Centre broke ground by offering 24-hour crisis intervention, counselling, and critical information for survivors. Through its early work, the Centre became a lifeline for women of all ages, and a bold voice advocating for change in how society understands and responds to intimate partner and sexual violence.
In the decades that followed, RSAC expanded its reach to any person who has been impacted by intimate partner and sexual violence, and became a vital force in both frontline support and public education. From co-hosting Regina’s first “Take Back the Night” Marches in the 80s to organizing awareness around child abuse, workplace harassment, trauma-informed care and more, to developing counsellor qualifications, and powerful partnerships with justice and health providers in Regina to improve survivor experiences, the organization has consistently evolved and walked alongside survivors.
This year, RSAC marks 50 years of service, and its commitment to survivors remains as strong as ever. 50 years later, RSAC still responds to crisis calls every day. The Centre still advocates for justice, improved legal and health processes, and education to prevent and challenge sexualized violence. 50 years later, RSAC is still right here, beside survivors, committed to justice, healing, and hope.
On Friday, November 7, we hosted a big party to celebrate this milestone. We thank everyone who came out and every individual, business, sponsor, donor, volunteer, and more who made this celebration possible. We especially would like to thank our founders, Abby Ulmer and Denise Hildebrand who were in attendance to celebrate with us.
