Marking 10 years: The Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre welcomes a significant change

October 1, 2025 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 1:45

The Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) was created in 2015 in response to the Deschamps Report as the Canadian Armed Forces’ commitment to take action on sexual misconduct. Since then, the SMSRC has been focused on making sure people affected by sexual misconduct can get the support and trusted resources they need.

As we reflect on the past 10 years and look ahead, we’re excited to share an important change in our organization.

The SMSRC will now be taking the lead on designing and delivering Restorative Engagement on Systemic Racism , which is part of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Systemic Racism Class Action (SRCA) Settlement.

The SMSRC will also be planning to offer support services for people affected by racism. In the first phase, these services will be available to current and former members of the CAF and Veterans. In the second phase, we will expand to support other client groups affected by racism.

These services will be based on a trauma-informed approach and will reflect anti-racism and anti-oppression values. As the SMSRC grows, we continue to learn more about how different forms of harm can overlap. This will help us offer support that is more inclusive and better meets people’s diverse needs.

With this expansion, we understand that our current name no longer fully reflects our new mandate and we will be taking steps to update it.

The SMSRC is committed to working and consulting with our existing and new clients impacted by this expansion, to ensure our services are tailored to their needs.

As the SMSRC continues to grow, we reflect on 10 years of evolution, engagement, and progress towards meeting the needs of the wider Defence community. We invite you to explore our timeline to see the key milestones that have shaped our centre.

Our commitment to supporting people affected by sexual misconduct remains unwavering and it continues to guide our work. We will build on what we have learned to support people affected by racism. Together with the Defence community, we will keep working toward a safer, more respectful, and inclusive workplace.

The Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre
Phone: 1-844-750-1648
Email: DND.SMSRC-CSRIS.MDN@forces.gc.ca