Saskatoon rally organizer opens up about sexual assault

One of the organizers of this year's Orange Rally in Saskatoon next week believes there are many reasons for people to speak out against violence against women and girls.

I felt incredible guilt.- Caval Olson-Lepage

"To me, it's personal," said Caval Olson-Lepage, president of Business and Professional Women of Saskatoon.

• Donald Trump calls sex assault accusers 'horrible, horrible liars'

The United Nations Secretary General's UNiTE campaign has proclaimed the 25th of every month as Orange Day to raise awareness about the issue of violence against women and girls. 

First, she said, there's the U.S. presidential election campaign. Rocked by allegations of sexual assault, Donald Trump lashed out in October at his female accusers as "horrible, horrible liars." 

But Olson-Lepage said, it's also personal because of the many Indigenous woman and girls in this province who are lost, victims of violence.

"How many of our Aboriginal women have either been murdered recently or are still missing and we are not making any progress in finding them?"

Recent murder-suicide reason to speak out

And then Olson-Lepage said, there is the recent heartbreaking apparent murder-suicide that claimed the life of Nia Eastman in Saskatchewan.

"That would be one of the more relevant stories that are going on."

• Autopsy results confirm Nia Eastman, 7, victim of apparent murder-suicide

When seven-year-old Eastman was reported missing, it triggered an Amber Alert.  Last week, police found her body in a home in Choiceland, Sask. Her father's body was found nearby and RCMP believe Adam Jay Eastman caused his daughter's death.

Organizer herself a victim 

Yet, in an interview with CBC News, Olson-Lepage hinted at a deeper connection to the issue of violence against women and girls, something she had only ever spoken about with close friends and family.  

She was the victim of a sexual assault.  

"I was ashamed, I felt incredible guilt. I thought that it was my fault," she said.

It happened years ago, when she was a Grade 12 student at a high school in Saskatoon. Olson-Lepage didn't report the attack to police. 

"I think a lot of people are afraid to speak out about it. I feel especially when it comes to things like violence or sexual assault against women it's usually done by someone that you know, someone that is in your inner circle or possibly a family member."

It's true in her case. Olson-Lepage said she was sexually assaulted by some close to her, someone she trusted. It's only through the support of her family and her loving husband that she was able to find her voice and begin talking about what happened.

"We are too quiet about this and I think the more we talk about it the more other women have experienced violence or sexual assault will fell that they have the capability to come forward."

 "You need to talk about it, you need to go to police and you need to take a stand," she said.