On September 23^rd, the Union of BC Municipalities will begin their convention in Vancouver. This is an opportunity for all Municipal Governments across the Province to come together to learn, plan and vote on special resolutions.

This is a very significant event for survivors across British Columbia because on September 23^rd, UBCM Resolution B86 will be voted on. UBCM Resolution B86 is a motion to urge the Provincial Government to have dedicated and secure funding for Sexual Assault Emergency Services across BC.

WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, Victoria Sexual Assault Centre (VSAC) and West Coast LEAF have been working diligently over the past few months to bring to light the need for dedicated, sustainable funding for emergency sexual assault response services.

To date, we have been successful in having our submission reflected in the report from Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services on Budget 2020 Consultation.

The Committee took our budget submissions and requests seriously and recommended dedicated, predictable, multi-year funding to address sexual assault, including emergency response and integrated clinics.

Our next step is to secure backing from as many BC Municipal Governments as possible to support our position that sexual assault survivors deserve access to integrated care after an experience of sexual assault and that the organizations that provide these services are adequately funded to sustain service delivery. By voting special Resolution B86 through, the Union of BC Municipalities would tell the Provincial Government that it is in all of our interests to have secure and dedicated funding in order to provide the absolute best services to survivors; regardless of what city or community they live in.

VSAC has Canada’s only sexual assault integrated clinic, and WAVAW is one of only five sexual assault response teams across the province. These five sexual assault response teams are underfunded and their staff are overworked. There are no sexual assault response teams north of Kamloops. From Prince George to Prince Rupert, from Fort St. John to Dawson Creek, from Kelowna to Cranbrook, survivors have no access to critical sexual assault services. Funding sexual assault response teams and integrated clinics in communities would provide survivor-centred care while reducing pressure on local emergency departments and burnt-out front-line workers.

For the past two and half years, WAVAW has been asking survivors and Justice System personnel “How do we increase confidence for survivors in the Criminal Justice System after they have been sexually assaulted?” because we know that over two-thirds of survivors do not feel confident in the police, court, or justice system. This is particularly true for survivors that identify as trans, nonbinary , Two-Spirit, Indigenous, and Sex Workers. Currently, VSAC and WAVAW are the only two Sexual Assault Centres in the Province that offer specialized services for trans, non-binary and Two-Spirit survivors. We know that these survivors are at higher risk for sexual violence and we deeply believe that having access to trauma-informed, culturally safe specialized sexual assault care immediately after sexualized violence is transformative for survivors healing.

Having immediate access to free-of-charge support services, and not having to do it alone is the way to increase confidence in the Criminal Justice System. WAVAW’s goal is to have an integrated clinic, similar to VASC’S,  available for survivors to increase access to medical care following sexualized violence for marginalized survivors. We ask that you support us by spreading the word about UBCM Resolution B86 and continue to support us in pressing the Provincial Government to have dedicated and secure funding for integrated Sexual Assault Emergency Services.

More information on the UBCM Resolution B86 can be found here.

We ask you to call your city councillors, tag them on social media, or send them an e-mail, and ask them to support Resolution B86 at the Union of BC Municipalities convention on September 23rd.

Together we can ensure that survivors across BC have access to sexual assault support services. Together we are powerful.

In solidarity,

Dalya Israel
Pronouns: She/her
Executive Director
WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre