As demand for service soars, Women In Crisis Algoma calls for stable funding

Women In Crisis Algoma is seeing a significant increase in demand for its sexual assault care program, with wait times of six months to a year for a victim to see a counsellor.

Officials with the group said this week that stable government funding is needed to address the backlog.

“Our phone lines, our crisis lines, once the first lockdown lifted, the calls came flooding in," said Erin Lodge, communications coordinator.

"People were finally able to get to a phone, get away from their abusive partner and call for help and support.”

Lodge said pandemic-related stressors could be behind the spike in call volumes, but she also said more women could be finding the courage to seek help.

“I don’t think that there’s necessarily one specific thing that is creating this influx, but rather when you put all of these things together, this is what we’re seeing now," said Sarah Paciocco, one of only two sexual assault and abuse counsellors.

Paciocco said her work differs from other counselling services offered by Women In Crisis.

“It’s something that’s more regular and consistent," she said.

"We can also do advocacy and accompaniment with those women, we can help them fill out paperwork, we can go to lawyer appointments with them. There’s a whole broader spectrum of ways that we can offer support when they’re connected with the more long-term program.”

Lodge said they need stable government funding to keep up with the increased demand for service.

“Our two staff are not even able to be full-time," she said.

"Not only do we need them to be full-time, we need an additional staff person to manage the growing caseloads that we’re seeing come through.”

Women In Crisis offers 24-hour crisis counselling services to those in immediate need while they wait for a long-term counsellor. That service can be accessed over the phone, or by walk-in.