Advocates worry about sustainability of sexual violence services as grants expire

Community groups that support survivorsof sexual violence in Nova Scotia say they'll likely havetoturn people away whenprovincial fundingexpires this spring.

Several organizations were able tohiretherapists and counsellorswho have specializedtrainingto work with victims, thanks to community-support network grants introduced in 2014 thatwere part of the Liberal government'sthree-year, $6-million sexual violence strategy.

But those grants runout at the end ofMarch,and advocates like Bernadette MacDonald argue it's"unethical" for theprovince not to offer along-term solution in their placeespecially since more victims are coming forward.

"We've proved more and more and more that this is an issue that needs specific attention, and it is incumbent now on the government to honour, I would say, the agreement," said MacDonald, executive director of the Tri-County Women's Centre.

The Department of Community Services told CBC News that even though community grants are ending, ongoing funding will be available for some services. The department didn'tsay where that moneywill go, or how much there will be.

But MacDonaldand others say no details have been communicated to their groups.

"It's really shameful, and it's not because they haven't heard from usthey have heard from us."

Grants a 'game-changer'

The grants were distributed to nine regions across the province, withmany choosingto spend themon therapeutic counsellorsbecause those services largely didn't exist outside Halifax.

"It's been a real game-changer having a therapist that specializes in sexual assault in our community," said MacDonald.

For Helen Morrison, executive director of Cape Breton Transition House in Sydney, it meant$100,000 was available to hiretwo in-house support staff.

"To lose that, I'm angry," Morrison said. "I'm very angry about that, and I think our community should be angry as well."

Community groups always knew the money wouldn't last beyond a coupleyears,Morrison said,"but you know, my response to that was we're going to prove that this program is so needed in our area that the government will have no choice but to fund it in some way."

Not continuing to fund the work that we dois a gross oversight.- Robert Wright, ofManTalk

Longtime social worker Robert Wright said the funding meant he was able to hire a full-time case worker for the Halifax-based ManTalk, a service he developed to helpmale-identified victims of sexual assault.

In 2017, theysaw more than 100 clients, he said.

"Not continuing to fund the work that we do at the People'sClinic and the work that's happening inHRMrelated to male-identified victims is a gross oversight," he said.

The Sexual Assault Services Network of Nova Scotia toldthe standing committee on community services in December that sustained funding for therapists isdesperately needed.

But time is running out, saidLucille Harper, a member of the network and executive director ofAntigonishWomen's Resource Centre.

"When we know that funding is coming to an end, what it means is that we can't take on new people because wehave to be able to get them to a place where they're ready to be in the world, and to feel stable and feel steady within themselves," she said.

The strategy has in many ways done what it wasintended to do, said Harper. But withmoreawareness aboutsexual violence, more peoplecomeforward.

Jackie Stevens, executive director of Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, said the majority of people seeking help arefirst-time clients who've suffereda recent sexual assault.

"People are finally getting to a point where they feel that it's OK for them, it's safe for them to access sexual assault services and they are going and having their needs met.And then suddenly that service is gone. You know, it doesre-traumatize," Stevens said.

Future funding under wraps

The Department of Community Services said in an email that"it was communicated at the onset that networks wanting to carry out activities past the term of the grant would need to find a way to sustain the work, as the grants were time-limited."

But the department also said it has committed to ongoing funding in other areas, including for prevention innovation grants, to help organizations with therapeutic counselling services,and to support victims navigatingthe legal system.

When CBC News asked whichorganizations would receive money to keep therapeutic counsellors, a spokesperson said the departmentcan't provide that information as the details aren't yet finalized.