Women experiencing increased rates of violence, longer wait times for counselling

KAMLOOPS – Throughout the pandemic, healthcare professionals have encouraged people to stay safe at home. For some people, though, home has been anything but safe.

Women are experiencing an increase in violence and the wait time for getting connected with a counsellor is also on the rise.

Alix Dolson, agency coordinator with the Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre (KSACC), says the isolation experienced by women waiting for help is concerning.

“Not being able to connect with their normal, natural systems, their community, their schools, their workplace; those are all lacking for a lot of people right now,” Dolson said, “so when people aren’t able to access professional supports, they’re really out there on their own.”

The KSACC works to connect people with supports for healing after experiencing the trauma of domestic or sexual violence.

“Likely what we’re looking at now is probably a 6-8 month wait for one to one counselling,” Dolson said.

The trend of increased violence against women has also been noted at the Y Women’s Emergency Shelter.

“We’ve heard that women have been experiencing much more significant experiences of violence than they had prior to the pandemic, so they’re certainly seeing that and letting us know that,” said Michele Walker, general manager for Violence Against Women Intervention and Support Services.

Walker believes the stress of uncertain employment, as well as isolation and concerns about the virus itself are contributing to a more volatile situation for some families.

The pandemic is also limiting how local agencies can safely provide help.

“It’s tricky because some of the ways that we would normally address that problem, by offering group sessions or that kind of thing,” Dolson said. “It’s trickier now and we’re not able to do that to the same level and in the same way that we were able to previously.”

One of the ways the KSACC is trying to fill the gap is through its 24-hour anti-violence hotline at 1 (888) 974-7278.

“It helps. That phone support certainly helps,” Dolson said. “But, it doesn’t replace one-to-one counselling. The folks on the phone are there to provide immediate crisis intervention and they’re not working through the trauma that a lot of these folks are living with.”

People are encouraged to check in on friends and family who may be experiencing violence. Walker says it’s also important to keep the conversation going.

“You know, we have an election coming up,” Walker said. “Talk to your local candidates about how this is affecting women who are experiencing violence and what are some of their ideas around this and how do they see solutions for that as well?”

The Y Women’s Emergency shelter can be reached at (250) 374-6162 or by text message at 250-682-7931.