Province called upon to increase funding for sexual assault supports

“Unfortunately, one year of funding will not work for specialized counselling services – for a number of ethical, operational, clinical, and logistical reasons,” the AASAS says in a release. “Budget decisions are being made this month. We see other issues being addressed, but not sexual violence. Is sexual violence not a priority for this government?”

At the Red Deer-based Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre (CASASC), which is one of 15 member organizations that make up the AASAS, crisis line calls now average 200 per month, with not enough external supports to refer people to. That number is up from 60 a few years ago, and represents a level CASASC has trouble keeping up with.

What’s more, says Executive Director Patricia Arango, is that calls as of late are about 50/50 between kids and adults, whereas it’s usually 30 per cent kids.

Arango calls this alarming, which makes it even more important there is increased funding on provincial budget day — set for Feb. 28.

“It’s super important. I can’t imagine no increase. I can’t imagine not being able to retain our clinicians and therapists who are dealing with the rising cost of living, meantime we can’t necessarily pay huge salaries. I can’t imagine having to end some of the programs we offer,” says Arango.

“Every day, we notice the increase in calls, but there is no increase in our resources. Our centre here works with close to a $1 million budget for everything we are doing.”

Arango adds that she can’t see when this crisis will end.

“A majority of our calls are very complex and very difficult for us to handle, because they aren’t always something we have all the necessary expertise in.”

Deb Tomlinson, CEO of AASAS, says it isn’t just the centres calling on the government to increase funding, but also the survivors, plus their friends and family.

“I ask you to contact your provincial government representative and let them know that they deserve recovery and healing services, they deserve justice, they deserve to be heard and supported,” urges Tomlinson. “Encourage your MLA to make sexual violence prevention, and the health of Alberta communities a priority by providing adequate and sustainable funding to our sexual assault services.”

According to the AASAS, 1.8 million Albertans have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Province called upon to increase funding for sexual assault supports

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