Tio’tia:ke/Mooniyang/Montreal, 17 juin, 2025 — After 24 years of fighting against sexual violence and supporting survivors, the West Island CALACS is proud to announce its official name change: Collectif Consenti, or Consent Collective in english. This new identity reflects a profound transformation in the organization’s mission, structure, and values—one rooted in intersectionality, consent, and community-led feminism.
Since 2001, the West Island CALACS (Centre d’Aide et de Lutte contre les Agressions à Caractère Sexuel) has been a vital resource for survivors of sexual violence. But over time, the organization recognized the need to address the limits and exclusions embedded in traditional feminist approaches, particularly toward sex workers, trans people, and racialized communities.
Between 2017 and 2023, the organization undertook a series of bold and necessary shifts: adopting a position in support of the decriminalization of sex work, expanding its mission to include trans, non-binary, and two-spirit people, restructuring internally to better support staff, and initiating an anti-racist process to challenge its own historically white foundations.
These changes brought the organization into conflict with the Regroupement Québécois des CALACS, whose values no longer aligned with its own. In 2023, the West Island CALACS resigned from the network and became fully independent.
“We needed a name that truly reflects who we are today,” said Noah Benoit of the Consent Collective. “We’ve transformed our practices, our politics, and our internal culture. This new name honours that journey—and marks our ongoing commitment to building a feminist movement where everyone is included.”
The word “Collectif” underscores the organization’s commitment to co-management, collaboration, and mutual support. “Consenti” (Consented) is a word filled with hope and vision—signaling a dream of a society where consent is foundational.
“Consent is about more than boundaries,” said Zev Saltiel, an intervention worker at Collectif Consenti. “It’s about the world we choose to build together. That’s what Collectif Consenti is about.”
Although the organization will always have its beginnings rooted in CALACS, the departure from the acronym is both symbolic and practical. For many communities, the institutional name created barriers. Collectif Consenti now offers a space where survivors from all backgrounds can find support grounded in intersectionality and solidarity.
The Consent Collective Team
