Ontario Strengthening Rural Services for Survivors of Violence and Exploitation

by ahnationtalk on January 21, 2022186 Views

January 21, 2022

Investment increasing access to supports in rural and remote communities

TORONTO, ON — The Ontario government is addressing the growing strain on services due to COVID-19 by investing $3.6 million in rural frontline agencies that support survivors of human trafficking and women who have experienced violence. The additional investment will provide agencies with more resources, strengthen culturally responsive supports for Indigenous women, and reduce geographic and transportation barriers which will significantly improve access to quality care and services to victims in rural and remote communities.

“Someone’s location should not act as a barrier to access quality care and services,” said Jane McKenna, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues. “We want to make sure that everyone affected by violence and sexual exploitation receives the supports they need, no matter where they are in the province.”

The $3.6 million investment will also help promote awareness of available local services, address service gaps and build community capacity to support women in rural and remote communities who have experienced violence and sex trafficking.

The funding includes:

Up to $2.4 million to enhance the capacity of service providers to deliver crisis and community supports and improve access to services for women who have experienced violence in a rural community, including Indigenous-led services.
Up to $1.2 million to improve access to culturally responsive anti-human trafficking services and supports in rural and remote communities, including Indigenous communities.

The ministry will work collaboratively with rural service providers to deliver targeted localized supports and implement projects that build positive outcomes for women living in or from rural communities.

Quick Facts

As a result of COVID-19, women and gender-diverse Ontarians have faced additional challenges, such as increased economic insecurity, greater burden of caregiving responsibilities and a rise in the incidence of domestic violence and human trafficking. Ontario established the Ontario’s Task Force on Women and the Economy to identify how the government can address these challenges.
Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy represents the largest total investment dedicated to anti-human trafficking supports and services in Canada.

Quotes

“Rural and remote investments help address the unique challenges of the North by focusing on quality of care, remote access to counselling, outreach workers and other essential supports like transportation as sometimes, shelter access includes a life saving flight out of a community. These investment dollars will also mean rural and remote shelter services are prioritizing access to culturally responsive spaces within a shelter.”

– Kendall Trembath
Executive Director, Women’s Shelter, Saakaate House Inc., Kenora

“Through this funding, Family Transition Place can ensure rural women are able to access the supports they need by moving services closer to them, rather than expecting them to find their way to us. This funding allows us to explore innovative housing and transportation models, mobile counselling and strengthen our partnerships, including with local Indigenous groups. Barriers faced by domestic violence victims and survivors in rural locations can be insurmountable and occasionally deadly. With this funding, we are working to eliminate those barriers, and further our vision for a community where every individual can live in safety, equity and respect and in healthy relationships.”

– Norah Kennedy
Executive Director, Family Transition Place

Additional Resources