April 1, 2021
Province Providing $6.4 Million to 24 Community-Based Agencies to Deliver Enhanced Supports and Services to Victims of Crime
– – –Three Agencies Offering Essential Supports to Survivors of Sexual Violence to Receive a Total of $850,000: Friesen
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The Manitoba government is providing $6.4 million to 24 community organizations to deliver programs that address the diverse needs of victims, including $850,000 for agencies that support survivors of sexual violence, Justice Minister Cameron Friesen announced today, at the start of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
“Our government recognizes the need to provide victims of crime with enhanced supports and we know that agencies working on the front lines are in the best position to develop the programming needed,” said Friesen. “I’m pleased to announce this funding to 24 different agencies to take the lead on this important work.”
The minister noted the funding is being provided to Indigenous-led agencies developing projects to address violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. In addition, funding is also being allocated to community-based organizations developing projects to support victims of crime including proposals for new and expanded work with victims of crime, gender-based violence or in response to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) inquiry recommendations.
“We need to build new ways and initiatives that deal with and confront gender-based violence, while also empowering women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. It is important that we show leadership by engaging men and boys to take an active part in the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence,” said Grand Chief Garrison Settee, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.
The agencies will develop programming that will help ensure victims of crime receive a range of community-based supports, which could include culturally based, trauma-informed supports such as counselling and healing, crisis services and peer support.
“COVID-19 had a devastating impact on gender based violence across the country,” said Lori English, executive director, West Central Women's Resource Centre. “Isolation led to increased violence at a time that access to supports became more complicated. Investments like the ones being made today will allow agencies to respond to the urgent need of women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks to support them in both exiting and healing from violence at a very critical time.”
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the minister noted three organizations that offer essential supports to victims of sexual violence will be receiving a total of $850,000 to support their work including:
• Ka Ni Kanichihk’s Heart Medicine Lodge to expand its support for Indigenous survivors of sexual assault,
• Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre to expand its sexual assault programming to cover new areas of the province, and
• Western Manitoba Women’s Regional Resource Centre to establish crisis-based sexual assault services in Brandon.
“These agencies provide critically important support in their communities and are key to advancing the work of the Gender-Based Violence Framework that our government announced in December,” said Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Cathy Cox, minister responsible for the status of women. “In developing this framework we listened to the people working on the front lines to address gender-based violence, as well as those whose lives are impacted by it. Thanks to this work, we know this investment aligns with the priority needs of Manitobans.”
“The ability to access supports when an individual life has been impacted by sexual violence is fundamental,” said Angie Hutchinson, executive director, Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre. “This funding will allow Survivor’s Hope to expand and enhance sexual assault programming and reach into new areas within our region, ensuring those seeking support after experiencing sexual violence have equitable access to support and healing.”
This funding supports several key government priorities, including the 231 Calls for Justice from the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, the Criminal Justice System Modernization Strategy, as well as Manitoba’s Framework: Addressing Gender-Based Violence.
The $6.4 million comes from a reallocation of surplus funds from the Victim’s Assistance Fund and supports the priorities of Manitoba’s Framework: Addressing Gender-Based Violence. The framework will guide the integration of services and co-ordination of policies, legislation and initiatives across government, and aims to prevent gender-based violence by challenging the pervasiveness of abuse and addressing the underlying attitudes and norms that perpetuate it. More information about the framework is available at www.gov.mb.ca/msw.
Throughout the month of April, the Manitoba government will be sharing resources and information about sexual assault through its social media pages. Manitobans are encouraged to share these resources and use them to learn more about sexual violence.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
Backgrounder
Background Information - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2021/04/BG-Victims_Asistance_Fund_Recipients-JS-SoW.pdf