BC announced stable funding for Sexual Assault Centres across BC, and it’s creating both hope and concern with people who are working on the frontlines.
Many details are still being hashed out with this funding, with focused engagement starting tomorrow (Tuesday), and more details on how the $22 million will be dispersed coming over the next few months.
Lynnell Halikowski is the Executive Director for the Prince George Sexual Assault Centre, and said she was thrilled and excited that the government is addressing the importance of stable funding to deal with the impacts of gender based violence.
She added that there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.
“That amount of money has to stretch across the province, however they’re going to disperse that. We still don’t know. I still don’t know if we’re receiving that funding, or not, or who’s receiving that funding.”
Halikowski noted that some of the people involved with this announcement gives her hope though.
“Parliamentary Secretary Grace Lore did frontline work for a long time. So that is always encouraging to me that there is somebody in that decision making process, or at least in the discussion process who knows what the work is like on the ground.”
Trying to find more funding will still be an ongoing battle, as Halikowski said that they offer services that don’t have dedicated funding.
“This will address sexual assault support services. But we still see men, we see children, we have a number of programs, and those all still need funding. I mean, it would be great if there was core funding for all of it, there’s not, and so the work continues.”
She gave a long laundry list of the services they offered, and noted that they fall under a couple different streams, with different programs under each stream:
- Youth and Outreach services, which sees youth of all genders, and has special services high risk youth, and sexually exploited youth.
- Children’s services, which focuses on children aged 3-13, and offers counselling, outreach services, and a small piece that addresses sexual behaviour issues in kids under the age of 12.
- Men’s services, which offers outreach services, counselling, and group services.
- Women’s services, which sees women from the age of 19 and up, provides outreach, counselling, group services, sexual assault response, and remote community services.
- She added that there are programs aimed at trans, non-binary, and two spirit people as well.
Halikowski noted that there isn’t really a timeline for people who are victims to gender based violence, and added that they try to support people through different parts of their lives.
“We really are mindful about not opening up wounds and leaving people vulnerable.”
Men and youth programming isn’t well funded, and Halikowski said they’ve had to take funding from Gaming funds and the United Way to fill in what gaps they can.
“When I look at youth, they’re sort of in the highest risk category for sexual violence, and yet there’s not sort of designated sexual assault funding for teenagers.”
She added that they see a large number of youth 13 and older, and found it concerning that there’s not dedicated government funding for youth.
Halikowski was hesitant to criticize though, as they just got what she considers a win.
“We have to be careful right? It’s a long hard win for anti-violence organizations to finally get some core funding back. So, I don’t think any of us are really in a position to criticize, right?”
She noted that they will continue to advocate for more dedicated funding, and address gaps in services.
“We still have work to do.”
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