The North Island Crisis & Counselling Centre is pleased to announce the launch of a new Sexual Assault Response Program (SARP) for the North Island.
In 2021, B.C. recorded 4,524 police-reported sexual assaults. Statistics tell us that only 6 per cent of all sexual assaults are actually reported to police. The traumatic impacts of sexual violence on an individual can be lifelong and can leave a victim feeling isolated and helpless.
We are committed to changing this for our community. Funded by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and supported by Ending the Violence BC, we are pleased to announce the creation of a new Sexual Assault Response Program in the North Island delivered by the North Island Crisis & Counselling Centre. This is the first community-based victim program in the Mt. Waddington Regional District.
This new program will coordinate direct services to victims of a recent or historical sexual assault by providing practical and emotional support, crisis intervention, system navigation with court, police, primary health care, forensic nursing and accessing community supports.
Referrals can be made through primary health care, community agencies or by self-referral. The Sexual Assault Response Program Coordinator will work in collaboration with our other programs, including police-based victim services, counselling services, third party reporting, Foundry Port Hardy and the Safe Shelter program as well as with other local community partners. Our Sexual Assault Response Coordinator will begin accepting referrals Oct. 3.
For questions regarding this new program, the Coordinator can be reached directly by calling (250) 902-7073.
For more on the Sexual Assault Response Program or the NICCCS, call (250) 949-8333 or go to www.nicccs.org