New, stable funding will support survivors of sexual violence

The decision to cut stable funding to these critical services forced community-based services providers to spend their time reapplying for funding and fundraising to make up the shortfall, making it harder to provide services for survivors. The funding announced today will allow the consistent provision of sexual assault services for surviors, and will support the delivery of coordinated, community-based emergency sexual assault response services in regions throughout the province. In the coming months, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General will work to establish a process for allocating the new funding.

“Our province should be a safe place, yet more than half of B.C. women have experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 16,” said Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity. “Having been on the front line supporting survivors, I know how hard it is to provide sexual assault response services that are trauma-informed, survivor-centred and culturally appropriate when you don’t know where your next round of funding is coming from. Our commitment to supporting survivors and ending gender-based violence means we must recognize the value of experienced and compassionate community-based service providers who deserve stable annual funding to do their work.”

Stable funding for sexual assault centres is just one component of a multi-year action plan to end gender-based violence being developed by the Ministry of Finance’s Gender Equity Office and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Focused engagement will begin on March 8, 2022, to inform the ongoing development of the action plan.

by Randi-Marie Adams

New, stable funding will support survivors of sexual violence

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