Round-the-clock support for sexual assault victims in Sea to Sky corridor gets provincial funding

It's taken years, but the Howe Sound Women's Centre based in Squamish, B.C., says it has received funding to provide more crisis support for sexual assault victims along the Sea to Sky corridor.

Even though changes to help sexual assault victims in the Sea to Sky region have been slow to arrive, the centre said victims will soon be able to get emotional help when they need it. 

Forensic sexual assault exams in the region were only made available 24 hours a day last year. 

Until six years ago, rape victims in the region had to travel to hospital in Vancouver for evidence to be collected.

Executive director of the Howe Sound Women's Centre, Ashley Oakes, said funding from the Ending Violence Association of B.C. is being administered in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the Ministry of Finance — Gender Equity Office and the Minister's Advisory Council on Indigenous Women.

Oakes said the centre's services are in addition to medical examinations that are now available.

"So now that our hospitals have access to 24-hour forensic examination, the missing piece was staff availability to attend to survivors' emotional needs and accessing those services as well."

Oakes said the centre has received almost $300,000 in provincial funding over two years, which it plans to use to create a 24/7 mobile sexual assault response team.

"Traditionally, sexual assault response is highly underreported anyhow. And so our intention is to remove as many barriers as possible to seeking that support," said Oakes.

The program aims to provide sexual assault response services to all people, including men and mature minors.

The centre is also hoping to make staff available to accompany survivors to RCMP, hospital and court appointments.

Oakes says a 24-hour crisis line for domestic violence services will serve survivors of sexual assault until a new crisis line is up and running.