Demand rapidly growing as funding lags behind, says Thunder Bay Sexual Abuse Centre

The head of a local organization that provides counselling to victims of sexual assault says they've seen a dramatic rise in demand for their services, but funding is failing to keep up.

The provincial government recently announced a one-time funding boost of $1 million for sexual assault centres throughout the province in 2019-20. However, that's significantly less than what centres were hoping for, based on funding promises made by the previous government.

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It was money the Sexual Abuse Centre in Thunder Bay, Ont. was counting on when they began the process of hiringa new counsellor, saidDeborahDika, the organization's executive director. When the expected funds weren't delivered, the new staff member wasn't able to stay.

"For the staff here it's been very frustrating. Just when we think we're going to get our head above water we don't seem to be able to hold it there for too long," she said.

"We've seen an increase in our numbers this past year and a half, and we're just trying the best that we can right now to service any and all individuals that attend our agency without having to run a waitlist."

Dika said intake numbers have grown by about a third over the past year and a half. Campaigns such as the #MeToo movement have encouraged victims to come forward and seek help.

"People are aware," she said, "they're finally feeling that they're able to tell their story."

The centre is now waiting to find out how the recently announced $1 million in additional funding will be parcelled out, but what's really needed, she said, is a sustainable funding increase.