Centre supporting families, children reporting abuse receives provincial funding
Manitoba pledges $2M toward a $15M expansion of the Toba Centre for Children and Youth
The Toba Centre for Children and Youth, which supports victims of child abuse and their families through the process of reporting, will receive $2 million from the provincial government.
Formerly known as Snowflake Place, the centre is a charitable organization that uses a collaborative approach in the response to child abuse.
Working alongside community partners like law enforcement, medical services and child protective services, the Toba Centre facilitates forensic interviews with victims in child-centered environments.
"We know that there are people who do unspeakable things to children, and while we should always aim to prevent that, we know we can't always. What we can do is decide how we want to respond when a child is hurt," executive director Christy Dzikowicz said.
Families are also assigned case navigators that help guide them through the process of reporting. The centre helps children who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, or who have witnessed domestic violence.
The financial support will go toward the centre's $15 million capital campaign goal to renovate their new location at 710 Assiniboine Park Drive, a city-owned building.
In 2021, the province provided $763,000 to the Toba Centre to expand its services.
Current reporting process challenging
Every year, 4,000 child abuse cases are investigated in Manitoba. Dzikowicz says that number may be shocking to many, but the real number is actually much higher.
Dzikowicz says there are several reasons that abuse goes unreported, but one of them is how challenging the reporting process is.
The process involves numerous agencies at different locations, and requires victims and families to repeat their experiences every time.
"Imagine what that's like for a child or a parent or grandparent to be dealing with unthinkable trauma and having to struggle to navigate complex systems and processes in order to be heard, to go from place to place and retell painful details."
Dzikowicz recounted the experience of one parent who said that after learning about his child's abuse, the process of reporting was lonely and made them feel like victims all over again.
The Winnipeg Police Child Abuse Unit will begin operating out of the Toba Centre when the renovations are complete. Other law enforcement agencies like the RCMP and Brandon Police will also have a presence on-site, Dzikowicz said.
A classroom for training and a healing garden are also part of the renovation plans.
Mayor Bowman pledges $100K
Winnipeg mayor Brian Bowman spoke at the press conference, where he pledged $100,000 of his office's budget toward the capital campaign.
Bowman said his council voted unanimously in favour of leasing the building to Toba Centre for 20 years.
"The importance of this work here transcends jurisdiction, and there really is a role for all of us in our community and as governments," Bowman said.
