On July 24th, Justice Maria Carroccia delivered her decision in the World Junior hockey sexual assault trial — a case that dates back to 2018. All five former players were acquitted on charges of sexual assault of a woman, known publicly only as E.M.

We want to acknowledge and thank E.M. for her courage.

A judgment like this doesn’t just close one door — it echoes through every person still deciding whether to come forward.

This is a reminder of how often survivors are doubted, how often silence feels safer than speaking.

We want to acknowledge the extraordinary courage shown by every survivor.

This verdict calls for action, and continued work to support survivors and to improve our systems response.

We can’t change the justice system overnight.

But we can stand with E.M. To let her know she is not alone and to show every survivor of gender-based violence that support exists.

This is a human response — friends, family, parents, survivors, and allies coming together to say one thing clearly: you are not alone.

What we’re doing:

A group of us are independently paying for a full-page ad in a national media publication with one simple message:

E.M., we support you.

It won’t include organizations or logos. Just initials. A personal act of solidarity.

If you would like to show support for E.M., and your initials to the campaign, please fill in your information below.

In a moment where words can feel small, this is one way to make sure she hears them — from all of us.

Will you join us in sending a wave of support across this country?

If you are a survivor or know a survivor seeking support during this time, here are some 24/7 support lines that may be helpful:

Assaulted Women’s Helpline: 1-866-863-0511

Battered Women’s Support Services 1-855-687-1868

Fem’aide helpline (for French speakers): 1-877-336-2433

Talk4Healing (for Indigenous women): 1-888-200-9997

Toronto Rape Crisis Centre: 416-597-8808

Thanks for supporting the Courage Campaign 2025. couragecampaign25@gmail.com