Erin's Story
In 2018, at 33, I founded STAND ASA to address the deep stigma surrounding sexual assault—one that forces vulnerable survivors to feel isolated, burdened with the proof of their own trauma, and weighed down by shame, both personal and public. This stigma is something I’ve experienced firsthand.
From the age of 17 to 24, I was sexually assaulted multiple times. I remember saying no, and they continued anyway. The cab driver who grabbed me and asked how much I cost. The times I pretended to sleep. The moments I’ll likely never recall. And the time multiple people were involved—that was the most traumatizing.
Then, everything shifted when a dear friend confided in me about her own assault. She blamed herself for what had happened.
"My goal is that one day we live in a world free from sexual violence and people are free from enduring the trauma of sexual assault."
-Erin Brassard
Listening to her story, I was shocked that she blamed herself. That was the moment everything clicked for me. I realized the traumas I had endured weren’t my fault either. It became clear that I couldn’t stay silent anymore—I couldn’t let her, or other women like us, carry this burden alone. I knew I had to take a stand, for myself and for others.
I started speaking openly about my experiences, and I quickly discovered that sharing my truth made me a safe space for others to share theirs. That connection—the empathy that comes from shared experience—became so important to me.
Since then, STAND ASA has grown beyond anything I ever imagined. As of 2022, we are a registered charity, providing peer support, education, and holistic healing services to over 3,255 people in 2021 alone.
Sexual assault is still normalized by society due to a lack of education and empathy. But I am committed to ending victim-blaming and eliminating the stigma around sexual assault. My hope is that one day, we’ll live in a world free from sexual violence, where no one has to endure the trauma of sexual assault.