An additional $8.1 million investment into support for survivors of sexual assault in Alberta will see additional staff for the Bow Valley’s Harmony Project as a result.
Last Wednesday (March 7), Minister of Status of Women Stephanie McLean announced the funding for frontline services to help survivors who take the step of coming forward with supports.
“Courageous women in Alberta and around the world are finally breaking their silence and sharing their stories of sexual assault and harassment,” McLean said at the announcement. “We hear them and we stand with them. Today, we are taking action – funding more counselling and helping people navigate the court and police systems so all survivors are supported in their healing journey.”
Funding will go to the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS), which operates seven sexual assault centres in the province, and to seven community programs, including YWCA Banff’s Harmony Project.
“We are thrilled,” said YWCA Banff CEO Connie MacDonald. “This funding will result in another full-time employee focused on providing direct supports to victims of sexual violence and this will be a game changer for this program.”
She said one of the challenges for rural service providers that support survivors has been ongoing operational funding for programs they run.
MacDonald and Harmony Project manager Reave MacLeod were in Edmonton for the announcement.
MacLeod said the additional funding is a game changer for the program, which began in 2016 as a valley-wide initiative to address sexualized assault and harassment in the Bow Valley.
“Because with where the project has been over the past couple of years, we have had a really big focus on preventative awareness and community training, but the next logical step is to provide more services to victims,” said MacLeod. “We have had the coordinator or manager role for two years, but adding to that would be an extra staff position to be a system navigator and work directly with victims that have experienced sexual assault.
“Having these two full-time positions, this is the next natural step in developing that collaborative community response.”
The Got Consent? campaign was launched by the Harmony Project in 2017. The project has also provided training for frontline workers throughout the valley and offers a survivors guide for victims and members of their support systems. The guide is available online at www.harmonyproject.ca, or from members of the initiative.
The project committee includes Banff and Canmore RCMP, Bow Valley Victims Services, Banff Mineral Springs Hospital, Alberta Health Services – Addictions and Mental Health, BanffLIFE, Settlement Services, Canmore FCSS, Calgary Sexual Assault Response Team and YWCA Banff.
The funding through AASAS is intended for ongoing front-line services, including crisis response and greater use of specialized police and court support workers.
“These funds will have a tremendous impact on the lives of survivors,” said AASAS chief executive director Debra Tomlinson. “They will not only address the 53 per cent increase in new counselling clients and unprecedented wait lists our member agencies face, but will allow us to provide specialized services to rural areas of Alberta.”
