A support centre for survivors of sexual violence is appealing for public help as it struggles to keep pace with demand.
The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) has tripled in size in the decade since the Me Too movement but still has to wait-list clients for its services — including free counselling for victims, said co-CEO Lena Betker.
“What we hate is when we have to tell someone, ‘oh, thank you for telling us that’s happened to you, but now you have to wait six months or whatever it is before you can get the help for that.’”
Edmonton consistently has the second-highest rate of police reported sexual assault in Canada behind Winnipeg, Betker said in an interview to mark Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The centre, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, operates crisis support lines, runs public education campaigns and offers counselling and court support for victims as young as three.
One of the most in-demand programs is specialized trauma counselling. The centre employs psychologists and clinical social workers who provide up to 15 free sessions for sexual violence victims. At the current recommended rate of $235 for an hour of psychological counselling, victims would be out more than $3,500 without SACE, Betker said.
“We are the only organization in Edmonton that provides this type of support to all people of all ages for no fee, and that’s why it’s in such high demand.”
Demand for counselling continues to rise year over year, along with the “complexity” of the cases involved, she added.
“It’s incredibly difficult for us to keep up with that demand at the current capacity we have and the funding that we currently have.”
SACE’s currently receives around 70 per cent of its funding from the Alberta government, Betker said. Last year, the centre found itself in a standoff with Children and Family Services Minister Searle Turton over a $1.8 million grant that was not renewed. Turton insisted the grant was a one-time boost in funding, but then-SACE CEO Mary Jane James said she was given the impression the funding would be made permanent.
According to James, the money was originally intended to tackle an 18-moth backlog for counselling services, and she expected to be allowed to reapply at the end of the two-year funding cycle. The loss of funding forced SACE to lay off seven therapists, she said.
James called the impact “devastating.”
Betker said the centre is now trying to diversify its funding base. Its May fundraiser allows people to sponsor teddy bears wearing teal ribbons — a visual representation of the number of victims waiting for support services.
“We’re really trying to focus on getting those donors and getting more people rallied behind us, so that we’re a little bit less reliant on single streams,” she said.
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