A significant boost in federal funding is on the horizon to combat gender-based violence, but there are concerns about ensuring that the funds effectively reach those in need.
Angela Marie MacDougall, the executive director of Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS), emphasizes to CityNews that the success of the funding should not be measured by its size, but by the ability of frontline organizations to assist survivors promptly.
MacDougall notes a sharp increase in demand for BWSS services, with approximately 1,200 new survivor requests received monthly, mainly through the crisis line. Over the past year, there has been a striking 70 to 80 percent rise in service requests, leading to extended wait times for counseling and other support services.
The federal government recently announced a $607.4 million investment over four years to uphold the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence and continue funding for provincial and territorial crisis lines.
MacDougall stresses the importance of allocating the new funding towards hiring additional frontline staff, expanding counseling services, and enhancing specialized intimate partner violence programs to meet the escalating demand.
Jennifer Blatherwick, B.C.’s parliamentary secretary for gender equity, highlights that the province strives to ensure direct funding to organizations catering to survivors, with a significant portion allocated to Indigenous-led groups and community organizations.
Moving forward, the focus remains on expanding counseling, transition homes, and domestic violence intervention initiatives, particularly in rural and remote areas, to address the longstanding issue of gender-based violence effectively.