The Victoria Sexual Assault Centre: B.C.’s first and only Integrated Sexual Assault Clinic

The Victoria Sexual Assault Centre: B.C.’s first and only Integrated Sexual Assault Clinic

The Victoria Sexual Assault Centre’s (VSAC) Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) provides survivors, aged 13 and older, of all genders, who have been sexually assaulted within the past seven days access to medical and/or forensic exams, police interviews and crisis support. The SART team brings together police, specially trained forensic nurse examiners (FNE), and crisis workers to support survivors with trauma informed practices. In 2016, VSAC opened the Sexual Assault Centre Integrated Clinic – the first and only of its kind in Western Canada - to provide a safe, accessible, confidential, and integrated on-stop-shop for these services.

SERVICES FOR VIEW ROYAL

• 12% of Sexual Assault Responses in 2017-2018 supported a survivor in the area served by the Westshore RCMP. 8% supported a survivor living in View Royal and surrounding area.
• The Westshore RCMP have used the secure police interview room to take police statements or interviews.
• VSAC provides training to new recruits to the Westshore RCMP on sexual assaults, the SART protocol, and the Sexual Assault Clinic and the Westshore RCMP has a representative on Team Victoria
• VSAC provides crisis counselling, long-term counselling, group supports, and victim services to residents of View Royal.

Funding for this service is needed. The Victoria Sexual Assault Clinic was made possible through a generous one-time grant provided by the Ministry of Justice. However, the Clinic receives no core, stable, or predictable toward the $180,000 annual budget. Every year the medical and justice services provided depend on grant opportunities and thousands of fundraised dollars. In 2017, the centre was forced to close their crisis line after more than thirty-one years of service to keep the Clinic open after failing to receive two grants.

This service is at risk:

With an operating budget of $204,000, the Clinic has no core funding from any of the key players – local or regional police, Island Health, the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. For fiscal year 2019-2020, the Clinic currently only has $40,000 towards the total budget.

Increased demand and the changing value and unpredictability of grants have put the Clinic and the critical medical care and access to justice it provides for survivors of recent sexual assault at risk. Last year, the Sexual Assault Centre Crisis Line was closed after 30-years in order to keep the Clinic open.

Without new funding opportunities or changes to funding sources the Clinic is at risk of closing this year.

201-3060 Cedar Hill Rd Victoria, BC V8T 3J5

MEDICAL CARE

The Clinic provides lower-barrier medical care. Survivors see a forensic nurse examiner within an hour of arriving at the Clinic, are tested for sexually transmitted infections, have minor injuries treated, and receive all necessary medication. In 2017, it was awarded the Award of Merit for Collaborative Solutions at the BC Health Care Awards in recognition of the highly effective and unique integrated approach, which brings together police, crisis support workers. Care at the Clinic takes pressure off the Victoria General Hospital Emergency Room, reduces the amount of time forensic nurse examiners (FNE) are needed, and has increased the number of survivors accessing care. Survivors whose injuries require the attention of a physician at the emergency department are still able to access SART’s crisis support workers and FNEs at VGH.

ACCESS TO JUSTICE

The Clinic is equipped with closed-circuit recording systems, secure interview rooms, a gun locker, panic buttons, and emergency exits. The Clinic space is used by police detachments in Saanich, Victoria, Central Saanich, West Shore RCMP, the Out Gulf Island RCMP, and the National Investigative Service to conduct recorded statements with survivors. Fewer than one-in-ten survivors report their assault, but the opportunity to report and make a formal recorded statement at the Clinic reduces barriers for survivors who wish to speak with police. There has been a four-fold increase in the number of police statements SART has supported since the Clinic opened.

INCREASED DEMAND

Since opening in February 2016, VSAC has experienced a 124% increase in survivors accessing the services now offered at the Clinic. This increase in demand is the result of the unique features of the Clinic, including reduced time to access care, and a more private, secure, and accessible alternative to police stations and emergency rooms. The onset of #Metoo has also increased demand for services due to the experience of trauma among survivors as well as increased public awareness.

A COST-EFFECTIVE PROGRAM

The Clinic provides trauma-informed, survivor-centered care and improves working conditions and outcomes for Police while at the same time resulting in cost savings for MSP, Island Health, and Regional/Local Police detachments.¹

Cost savings when Sexual Assault Response Team services are provided at the Clinic vs. the hospital:

• $785 – Cost for emergency department visit
• $255 – Physician cost associated with visit to emergency department
• $100 – Extra time for Police responding
• $180 – Extra time for Forensic Nurse Examiners
• Estimated cost savings from fiscal 2017-2018: $99,100
• Projected cost savings: $146,720/year

¹For details of cost savings, please contact Grace Lore – lore.grace@gmail.com