After seeing a group assembling comfort kits for unhoused women, Sarah Sherman realized the same kind of support could have helped after her own sexual assault forensic exam. In this episode, Sarah shares how that moment sparked We’re Here For You Canada, a volunteer-run charity that partners with hospitals to provide curated comfort kits to survivors of sexual violence. She explains what’s inside the kits, and why dignity, hope, and choice matter in post-assault care. Sarah also discusses hospital and community partnerships, expansion across Atlantic Canada and beyond, and how storytelling and language can reduce victim-blaming and drive systemic change.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:44 We’re Here For You Canada’s Origin Story
• 03:56 What the Comfort Kits Include
• 06:31 Dignity In Care
• 07:47 Hospital Partnerships
• 11:06 Growing Nationwide
• 13:36 Adapting Stories and Messages for Diverse Audiences
• 15:32 Survivor Feedback
• 17:37 Care Without Reporting
• 21:02 Storytelling as a Strategy to Drive Deeper Understanding
• 22:22 Why Words Matter
• 25:26 How To Support We’re Here For You Canada
• 27:04 Final Reflections and Closing Credits

Find out more about We’re Here For You Canada

• Website: werehereforyoucanada.ca
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/werehereforyoucanada
• Instagram: instagram.com/werehereforyoucanada
• Facebook: facebook.com/werehereforyoucanada

About the Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits podcast

Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits is a podcast for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and community-minded professionals who want to use storytelling more intentionally. Each episode features conversations about how story builds connection, strengthens fundraising, and supports long-term growth. Grounded in the realities of nonprofit work, the podcast explores practical ideas, lived experience, and real-world approaches to communication, community, and impact.

If your organization could use help turning its stories into stronger fundraising, visit collaborativecause.ca.

New episodes are released monthly. Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to be notified when they’re published. The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

They put me in paper maternity underwear.

2

They put me in paper booties.

3

And they found me an item from the lost

and found that was neon pink velour.

4

I felt worse than when I walked in there.

5

Michelle Samson: Welcome to Raising

Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits,

6

where we explore how storytelling

helps nonprofits strengthen fundraising

7

and move their missions forward.

8

I'm Michelle Samson.

9

Tanya Wall: And I'm Tanya Wall.

10

Michelle Samson: Well, Tanya,

last month we featured our

11

first Ontario based nonprofit.

12

But now we're back to the east coast

with a New Brunswick based nonprofit.

13

In this episode, we're joined by Sarah

Sherman, founder of We're Here For You

14

Canada, an organization that provides

comfort kits to survivors of sexual

15

violence through hospital partnerships.

16

Tanya Wall: Yeah, and what really

stood out to me in this conversation

17

is how clearly storytelling is

tied to the beginning of this work.

18

Sarah shares her own lived experience, but

she also shows how a nonprofit can grow

19

from one personal moment of recognition.

20

Michelle Samson: Yeah, she saw a

group in her hometown putting together

21

comfort kits for unhoused women, and

it made her think about what would've

22

helped her after her own forensic exam.

23

That connection between personal

experience and practical action really

24

sits at the heart of this episode.

25

Tanya Wall: I agree, and it's

such an important part of

26

storytelling in this sector.

27

Sometimes the story isn't polished or

strategic at the beginning, but it starts

28

with someone naming a need, seeing a gap,

and deciding to do something about it.

29

It.

30

Michelle Samson: Mm-hmm.

31

Here's our conversation with Sarah

Sherman of We're Here for You Canada.

32

Tanya Wall: So glad to

have you here, Sarah.

33

We'd like to kick things off

with you letting us know a little

34

bit about yourself and your

organization and how it came to be.

35

If you want to give us

a little introduction.

36

Sarah Sherman: Sure.

37

I could go on forever about this part,

but I am a survivor of family violence,

38

intimate partner, and sexual violence.

39

And I wasn't living, I was just surviving.

40

So I was remaining in that victim

space for about 17 years, even

41

though I thought I was healing.

42

And then one day I saw, from my hometown

of Nanaimo, BC, I saw women who were

43

doing comfort kits for unhoused women.

44

Then I thought, wow, that would've

been really helpful to me after I

45

saw the forensic sexual assault nurse

examiner, if somebody had given me

46

something to have a shower, put on some

fresh clothes that were appropriate.

47

And I thought maybe that's

how I can give back.

48

And so my whole goal

was a one-time donation.

49

I started this, which, my high

recommendation is to never try to start

50

something on a Giving Tuesday before

Christmas because everybody needs help

51

and you get lost in the jungle of need.

52

Tanya Wall: Right.

53

Sarah Sherman: So, I did know that

storytelling was key to connecting

54

with people so that they wanna help.

55

Tanya Wall: Mm-hmm.

56

Sarah Sherman: So for the first time, I

had moved to New Brunswick, and for the

57

first time I shared a bit of my story.

58

It took me a long time to get there.

59

I think it was too much to do while

my parents were still alive, and I

60

had to wait for my children to become

adults to have their permission because

61

this is not just my story, this is

their story as well, and consent

62

is key to everything that we do.

63

So I started to share my story.

64

It got a lot of interest because

it's dramatic and that grabs

65

people, but it didn't get a lot

of help in what I was looking for.

66

So that slowly came after, and I'm

really proud of the growth and success

67

that we've had since that very first

68

Michelle Samson: Sarah, can you tell

us a little bit more about the kits?

69

Sarah Sherman: Sure.

70

So when a person goes to see the sexual

assault or forensic nurse examiner,

71

it's different in every province, okay?

72

So that's a really important

thing to know, and I've learned

73

this as my work has grown.

74

But essentially the person will

see the nurse examiner and then

75

afterwards they will be given

supplies that we've given them.

76

So all of this is volunteer based.

77

We work on grants and donations,

and grants are very specific.

78

And then we create curated comfort

kits, and in those kits are all

79

the basics that somebody might

need in that moment and potentially

80

over the next week of their life.

81

So there's their toiletries, there's

personal hygiene, there's pen and paper

82

because things just start to come to mind

and there's so much being thrown at you.

83

There are items of inspiration and

hope that are added to the kits.

84

We've added cultural support, so

we have the four sacred indigenous

85

medicines to give to that community.

86

We have hijabs and prayer mats

and prayer beads for Muslim women.

87

We have gender diverse clothing,

and we even have in New Brunswick,

88

some items for people that are

non-binary or transitioning.

89

So we're really looking at a fully

inclusive model that will support

90

the survivor in that moment.

91

And we add gift cards.

92

So maybe they need to get a

meal, put gas in their car.

93

There's new clothing in many of the areas.

94

And we only give new clothing because

we believe that in that moment you just

95

need to know that you're important.

96

Having something new on that

has no history to it matters.

97

Then you can decide, you know, the

nurse maybe doesn't keep all of your

98

clothing, but if we've supplied that

clothing and you wanna put something

99

clean on that's not from that

moment of trauma, you can do that.

100

And then we also have

information on what is violence.

101

Because maybe this time was just

worse, or maybe it was a bit rough, or

102

maybe my boyfriend just lost control.

103

And you don't understand all those

levels of violence that you're

104

living in, as well as resources.

105

So what is available in your community?

106

Where can you go for help?

107

What can you do next?

108

And so we're looking at a very

comprehensive way of supporting

109

the survivor in that moment.

110

And it's different for everyone as

to what they may want in that help.

111

Michelle Samson: So your work

is grounded in the idea that

112

dignity is essential healthcare.

113

Can you talk a little bit more about where

that dignity is currently missing, and

114

then what that means in practice for We're

Here For You Canada, and particularly

115

in the context of post assault care.

116

Sarah Sherman: Sure.

117

So personally, and this was now

21 years ago, but personally,

118

I was seen by the nurse.

119

All of my clothing was held for evidence.

120

They put me in paper maternity underwear.

121

They put me in paper booties, and

they found me an item from the lost

122

and found that was neon pink velour.

123

And I felt worse than

when I walked in there.

124

And so my goal is dignity, respect,

and a sense of hope and control.

125

And that's what the nurses are

telling us they're going, "The comfort

126

kits mean so much to the survivor."

127

When you're in the situation,

you are the victim.

128

When you pull yourself

out, you are a survivor.

129

As I mentioned, I thought I was a

survivor, but I was remaining in that

130

victim mentality for a really long time.

131

it's allowing these people to meet

their very basic needs, and it's in

132

a gap in our healthcare system, and

we're filling that gap and we're

133

really proud to be doing that.

134

Tanya Wall: Absolutely.

135

When you talk about comfort

kits, it really goes beyond

136

what somebody might imagine.

137

You're talking about advocacy, you're

talking about education, you're

138

talking about basic necessities.

139

And being a volunteer run organization,

that must mean a number of partners

140

being involved to deliver that.

141

Can you talk a little bit

about those partnerships?

142

Sarah Sherman: Sure.

143

So my first partner, and I'm gonna call

her out every time 'cause she's just an

144

angel, Lisa Johnson from the Fredericton

Hospital was the first nurse that I

145

connected with, and that's what she said.

146

She said, "Sarah, we wanna do this right."

147

She was gonna follow my lead

on what I needed as a survivor.

148

And then she added what she's

currently seeing people's needs

149

be, because in that 21 years, those

needs still weren't being met.

150

And gender-based violence is only

on the rise where you would think,

151

you know, in 21 years it would

be getting better, but it's not.

152

So advocacy and education are huge.

153

So she had me start speaking

to just nurses on team calls.

154

We were still in the pandemic, right?

155

Like we couldn't meet in person.

156

And so we started doing that.

157

Our first deliveries were to hospitals

in New Brunswick, and then we just

158

slowly grew and, as I mentioned before

we started, I'm not from New Brunswick.

159

I moved here 16 years ago and part

of that was to escape my past.

160

I was tired of being

looked at as that person.

161

Although it's a big city compared

to here, relatively, it was a small

162

city and people knew who I was.

163

So, part of the education is how

can we support survivors where

164

they're at, what do they need?

165

Let's ask them for the lead.

166

And I'm always asking for suggestions.

167

What else can we do?

168

How can we do it better?

169

Some of our key partners have

been, Horizon Health in New

170

Brunswick has been incredible.

171

They really started to help us at the

beginning and we really appreciated

172

that support, between their community

developers and helping us get

173

our message out and some funding.

174

And then the Ministry of Women and

Gender Equality, they've been great

175

supports and really great allies

for us, and even with the previous

176

government, we got some funding from

them, and with the current government,

177

we're making even more inroads.

178

And so we're really happy with that.

179

I spoke at an intimate partner

violence symposium for Unifor in

180

June of 2025 and they've become

great allies and support of ours.

181

Community support, local Rotaries in

Victoria, BC, the Royal Canadian Legion,

182

just people from across the country.

183

When, a year ago a documentary

came out, a CBC documentary, on

184

our story, that was sent across the

country to places that I have lived.

185

And so people from those

communities were saying, "We

186

want this, we want this service."

187

And so we're slowly working on creating

this across the country, 'cause my goal

188

is that every hospital in the country

will have this service before I die.

189

So I'm turning 60.

190

So I'd figure I have 25 years maybe

left to do all this work, but I'd

191

like to do it a lot faster than that.

192

Tanya Wall: Right.

193

Michelle Samson: How far

have you gotten so far?

194

Sarah Sherman: We are throughout

New Brunswick in both the

195

French and English hospitals.

196

We're in some of the sexual

violence resource centers with not

197

the kits but the other supports

that would help their clients.

198

We are on Vancouver Island and

we're meeting the rest of Vancouver

199

Island in a couple weeks so that

the whole area will be served.

200

We've soft launched in Nova Scotia,

so we are in Halifax and we're

201

in the Amherst, Truro, Colchester

areas, and Unifor is supporting us

202

to expand further in Nova Scotia.

203

And we're launching in Newfoundland

at the end of May, and that is because

204

I'm going to speak at the Canadian

Forensic Nursing Association Conference.

205

And I make every dollar count, so if I'm

there for one thing, we're gonna use that

206

time and money to make it all happen.

207

So Unifor is going to be one of

our supporters for that as well.

208

So we do fundraising, we do whatever

we can, but we have zero operating

209

expense budget, so it's a struggle.

210

But I'm not gonna stop.

211

And initially I financed it myself

and I slowly got more support.

212

And it's just growing.

213

It's just growing.

214

It's important and it makes a

difference not only in the lives

215

of survivors, but in victims.

216

So if you're currently living in that

space, and you're not seeing all of the

217

levels of violence that surround you,

that's part of why we talk about it.

218

Part of why I share my full story,

because then I list all the levels

219

of violence that I didn't even

understand I was living through.

220

I just thought, "Well, he

doesn't hit me all the time, you

221

know, a couple times a year."

222

I didn't understand that consent matters

in a marriage as well, and so that

223

there was sexual violence going on

regularly, but I didn't understand that.

224

And so, when we share this information

with people and we share it from a

225

survivor led perspective, it's letting

other people know that what they're

226

living through isn't okay, and that there

is help and someone will support them.

227

Tanya Wall: And when you talk about

sharing the story, are there particular

228

settings that you feel the stories

have had the strongest impact, whether

229

that's healthcare partners, donors,

media, or the broader public in general?

230

Sarah Sherman: Um, I don't know about

more of an impact in one area over the

231

other, but I can tell you, one of the

scariest groups I spoke to was three

232

classes of Grade 8 boys, 13 years old.

233

I was like, how am I gonna

talk to 13-year-old boys?

234

So I talked to them on a different way.

235

I don't share my whole story.

236

I just share, you know, these are

what healthy relationships look like.

237

Michelle Samson: Hmm.

238

Sarah Sherman: This is something if I had

known at 6 years old, or 12 years old,

239

or 17 years old, if I'd understood that

that was a problem, that there was some

240

place to go for help, that this wasn't

acceptable, maybe what happened to me

241

in those 18 years that I was married

and in a relationship with someone who

242

was violent, maybe I would've understood

that there were red flags earlier.

243

Maybe I would've understood

where to get help.

244

And so that's what I share with them.

245

Another group that was really powerful to

speak to was a group of elderly people.

246

And so we went to a nursing home and

it included Nursing Home Without Walls

247

in New Brunswick, which is a program to

help people stay in their homes longer,

248

but they bring them into the home to

do combined activities and information.

249

And so I spoke to up to 91 years old,

I'm sure, in that group, and a lot of the

250

women connected that these were things

that happened in my life and I didn't see

251

it as abuse, but I know I didn't like it.

252

And so helping them recognize that that

wasn't okay and they didn't deserve

253

that, then maybe they'll see things in

their daughters or their granddaughters

254

or their great-granddaughters, and

they'll be the person that they are

255

approachable to who will listen to them.

256

And I love talking to first responders

because I had incredible response,

257

but also there were things that

were not done well that could be

258

done differently to help reduce

rather than magnify the trauma.

259

So I'll talk to anybody.

260

Michelle Samson: Aside from your own

story, which illustrates the problem and

261

the solution so well, do you ever use

examples from people that have received

262

the kits or people that have gotten care?

263

Sarah Sherman: We don't hear

often from people who get the kits

264

because we don't know who they

are, and it's all confidential.

265

In fact, I can't even give accurate

numbers on what is distributed because

266

maybe somebody will get different

pieces of what we have, right?

267

We do occasionally get an email or a

call from somebody, I think over four

268

and a half years, there's been maybe

four times that I've heard from people.

269

But the one that I do share often is the

survivor who said what a difference it

270

made to be able to get cleaned up and

to put on clean clothes and to feel like

271

when they left the hospital that they

just had a little bit of themselves back.

272

Like we even provide reusable grocery

bags so when people leave, they're not

273

carrying the hospital bag out 'cause

everybody knows where you've been then.

274

We look at very plain clothing,

black, white, gray, brown things

275

that help you be invisible.

276

Cause really that's all

you want in that moment.

277

So we're getting that feedback.

278

And then the nurses are telling us that

when they have the indigenous medicines,

279

they're now giving them prior to the exam.

280

Tanya Wall: Hmm.

281

Sarah Sherman: So maybe that person

can smudge, or they can hold the

282

feather, or they can have something

that whether they are active in

283

their culture or not, can help them.

284

We include fidgets in there for

non-indigenous people cause you

285

tend to disassociate during an exam.

286

We are trying to look

at all of those things.

287

So the nurses are saying

that's helping people.

288

And then when they get the kit, which

is just a big Ziploc bag, I mean

289

space is really limited, so there's so

much more we could do that we can't.

290

But it gives them enough that if

they wanted to just leave right

291

in that moment, they'd be okay

for a little bit on those things.

292

And so it's giving people options.

293

And we don't require people to report.

294

Like a big part of our advocacy is to let

people know that there's help, and that

295

they don't have to report to police, but

they have options when they see the nurse.

296

Unless it's a child, the nurses

are not obligated to tell anybody.

297

So over 16 you have the right.

298

So we tell people, we want

you to go see the nurse.

299

In New Brunswick, it's amazing because

what they can do is they can just

300

phone and say, I need to see a sexual

assault nurse examiner, a SANE.

301

And then they'll be told where to meet

them, and the goal is within an hour.

302

You can often not even get

through triage in an hour, right?

303

You don't wanna sit in a waiting room

because if you've just been assaulted

304

by somebody, they may show up there.

305

You may not feel safe.

306

So you can phone and the nurse will

meet you there, and if you're there

307

sooner, they'll put you in a quiet room.

308

And the only person who sees

your chart is that nurse.

309

It doesn't go into the filing

that other people even within

310

the hospital are gonna see.

311

In New Brunswick, they can see

people for historical trauma, and

312

you just call and ask the same thing.

313

In Nova Scotia, it's a

little bit different.

314

Now they're only seeing

people with sexual assault.

315

Like sexual assault and intimate partner

violence are being dealt with differently.

316

So my big message to people in Nova

Scotia is, if you were sexually

317

assaulted by a partner, then claim

it as sexual assault 'cause then

318

you'll get to see that nurse examiner.

319

You will get all that help, you

don't have to go through triage.

320

If you just come in for intimate partner

violence, then you have to go through

321

triage, you have to sit in the waiting

room, you have to do all of those things.

322

And the likelihood is if it was

an intimate partner and they've

323

assaulted you, they probably

also sexually assaulted you.

324

You know, it's a high likelihood.

325

Not every time, but if you

present as sexual assault, you'll

326

get straight to that route.

327

And, um, it's just a recent change.

328

And so the nurses are working

on how are they disseminating

329

that information to people.

330

But if you just go for intimate

partner violence and you've

331

been sexually assaulted, but you

don't mention that, you're not

332

gonna get that immediate support.

333

So I just really feel

that's important to stress.

334

Tanya Wall: Mm-hmm.

335

Absolutely.

336

What feels like the biggest challenge in

helping people understand that dignity,

337

comfort, and emotional support are

not extras, but they are part of care?

338

Have you run into that

being a challenge at all?

339

Sarah Sherman: I wouldn't say I've

run into it as a challenge so much,

340

more as a how can we make this work?

341

More as a budget line item.

342

Um, anybody that I've talked to,

I will say across the board, have

343

been really supportive that it's

a good idea, that it's a great

344

way to help and support people.

345

We all know the healthcare system

has great challenges at this point,

346

and that's why we fill that gap.

347

But, um, it's been well

received everywhere.

348

And so as we grow, it's really hard

to apply for grants and funding

349

in different areas until we're

there and we have a local person's

350

address to kind of assign to it.

351

Tanya Wall: Mm-hmm.

352

Sarah Sherman: So those are challenges

in the ongoing growth for sure.

353

Michelle Samson: When you're thinking

about systemic change or public

354

understanding, like, I mean, these

are big things to try and tackle.

355

What have you learned about the power

of storytelling to help you get there?

356

And what maybe is working really well

when you're trying to create this big

357

change and get the message out there?

358

Sarah Sherman: I just, I

think storytelling's the key.

359

That's how we hook people.

360

If you tell people, "I'm gonna

talk to you today about intimate

361

partner and sexual violence," people

are gonna shut down immediately.

362

If they're like, we wanna share a story

with you about what this person has gone

363

through and the impact it's had on them

and all the levels of their life that it's

364

affected, then people understand better.

365

It's not just IPV, and gender based

violence, it's not just sexual violence,

366

it's mental health, it's financial crisis,

poverty, all these different levels.

367

When we share the story and I share,

you know, sometimes I share more

368

than others of course, but when I

share things that happened to me,

369

I learn something all the time.

370

So I've been talking about this for four

and a half years publicly and openly,

371

and I would say every six to eight months

I learn something new about myself.

372

And the recent thing that I learned

was, first of all, words matter.

373

And so I've often said I was

in an abusive relationship.

374

But I recently heard a speaker say

abusive relationships do not exist

375

because that takes two people.

376

So yeah, they can happen.

377

There can definitely be two people, but

in reality, that's not what I faced.

378

I was in a relationship

with someone who abused me.

379

Michelle Samson: Hmm.

380

Sarah Sherman: And so when we change

how we tell the story and we change

381

the words that we use, the impact is

much different and how it can resonate

382

with people and support people.

383

I've discovered that he isolated

me and I didn't understand that

384

he pushed people away and I just

thought people didn't care about me

385

anymore, but I didn't understand that.

386

He tried to traffic me.

387

You know, like so many different things.

388

But you don't see them at that.

389

You see them like, "I made a

mistake, I did something wrong.

390

What was wrong with me?"

391

For the longest time, I would tell

the story about how the first time

392

he hit me, it came out of the blue.

393

We had a great night, we'd gone to a

movie, we ran into a friend, we went

394

to the pub, we had a couple drinks,

we got back home, we're all standing

395

outside the apartment laughing.

396

And all of a sudden just

whack across my head.

397

The first time I was ever hit

like that, the first bruise that

398

I ever had to hide from people.

399

And up until recently I always said,

"I don't know what I did wrong.

400

I don't remember what I did to upset him."

401

I now realize I did nothing wrong.

402

He just was controlling the situation.

403

He was doing it in front of

somebody who knew him, and he

404

knew was not going to react.

405

The person just left.

406

And so he knew it was a safe place

to do it and this is where he could

407

start the control on me and start the

whole brainwashing and mind control and

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gaslighting me, and all of those things.

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So when we share our stories, we learn.

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Not just about ourselves,

but how to help other people.

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And so I put on an annual symposium.

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I always speak, but not to the same

extent 'cause we have to change things up.

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We can't have just the same people

telling the stories all the time.

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So I always have a new person come

and share lived experience and help

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us realize how prevalent it is and

how much that person wanted to leave,

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but couldn't for whatever reason.

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And messaging's huge for me, like the

phrase that we have and share is, "don't

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ask why she didn't leave, ask why he

didn't stop," or why they didn't stop.

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We need to stop victim blaming,

and the more we share stories,

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the more likely we are to do that.

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Michelle Samson: Wow.

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Tanya Wall: And for listeners who are

hearing this, Sarah, and they want

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to help, how does that look for you?

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What kind of support

do you need right now?

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Sarah Sherman: Well, like everybody,

financial support is huge.

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We are launching in Nova Scotia

and we're hoping to do an event,

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probably it'll be in June, and

we'll be doing a big launch there.

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And we really need funds

to help with Nova Scotia.

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It's set up a little bit differently

there in the way that we have to

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distribute to some more remote areas

and stuff, to have physical supplies.

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Or people can shop on our Amazon list.

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So I have for different categories

on our Amazon list, and then

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the stuff gets sent there.

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Attending our events.

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So we're holding an event at the end

of April, Partners in Prevention:

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A Gender-Based Violence Symposium.

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Really helps us share the message.

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And then, the tickets thats sold, that's

a fundraiser for us 'cause we've got the

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rest of our costs covered by partners.

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Reaching out and just

asking how you can help.

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We are a charity so we can give

those wonderful tax receipts so

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it's a win-win for everybody.

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Tanya Wall: Mm-hmm.

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Sarah Sherman: And, um, there's other

things we need, like we need like a

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storage locker someplace to safely keep

things in that province so that our

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local volunteers can distribute it.

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I come to the launch and get

things set up, but it's not

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feasible for me to be everywhere.

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And we are going to be in every province

in this country, in every hospital.

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So we need boots on the ground basically.

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Yeah.

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Tanya Wall: Absolutely.

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Michelle Samson: Great.

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Sarah, any final thoughts

you'd like to leave us with?

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Sarah Sherman: I think my main thought

would be this: We live in Atlantic Canada

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in some of the areas of the highest

rates of intimate partner violence.

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Nova Scotia went through one

of the worst cases ever in that

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massacre, and that was brutal.

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Women are dying across this country they

say every six days, but I wouldn't be

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surprised if it's more, you know, every

48 hours a woman or girl dies, every

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six days from intimate partner violence.

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So when you're looking at headlines

like "Woman Found in a Dumpster in

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Moncton," think about what really maybe

happened there, 'cause that is violence.

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Beyond the murder, that is violence.

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It's to break us down.

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It's to break down her personality

so that when it's reported on, people

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are less empathetic as well, right?

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When you talk on social media,

really think about what you say.

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You know, "I would never stay for that."

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Well, nobody thinks that they would.

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"I wouldn't let anyone do that to me."

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Well, I didn't ever think I would either.

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It doesn't happen quickly.

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We're broken down slowly, methodically.

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They look for vulnerable people.

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They isolate us and break

down all our barriers.

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And no person, woman, man, anyone, wants

to live in a dangerous environment and we

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don't wanna expose our children to that.

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We didn't choose it, and leaving

is the most dangerous time.

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So when we put those thoughts out on

social media where we're just verbally

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spouting off whatever hits our brains,

we might be making it so that victims

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feel safe to come out to ask for help.

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They see your names,

they know who you are.

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Now I feel like I can't ask for help,

so I really think that that is a

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really important message to get across.

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Tanya Wall: Absolutely.

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Well, thank you so much, Sarah.

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I really appreciate you joining

us, talking to us and being brave

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and sharing your story to make

a difference across our country.

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It's so important the work that you're

doing and I, you know, I hope that people

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listening to this are inspired to help.

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We're gonna make sure that your contact

details and website are in the notes and

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just really appreciate your time today.

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Sarah Sherman: Well, thank you

both so much for having me and

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for sharing people's stories

' cause that's really important.

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I appreciate it.

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Michelle Samson: Thanks for

listening to Raising Impact:

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Storytelling for Nonprofits.

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If your organization could use help

turning its stories into stronger

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fundraising, visit collaborativecause.ca.

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New episodes are released monthly.

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Follow the show on Spotify or Apple

Podcasts to be notified when they drop.

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Raising Impact is an initiative of

Collaborative Cause consulting and

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is produced by Storied Places Media.