Funding cuts to sexual assault centre could lead to change in service
While Sexual Assault Awareness Week in Saskatchewan is designed to bring attention to the plight of those in our community who have been victims of sexual or physical abuse, Amber Stewart of the Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre (BASAC) believes the time is also ripe to make the community aware that due to funding shortfalls there could be serious cuts to programs in the near future.
“Cutting programs and services to areas that desperately need it is not what we (BASAC) want to do,” the executive director said. “However we are left with no other choice if the province doesn’t increase funding to our organization.”
Like other agencies throughout the province, the Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre provides services that deal with the effects and the risks of sexual abuse and violence by assisting with counselling, crisis support, education and advocacy services to individual and communities.
“We have been put in a very difficult position by the province because BASAC has not had an increase in funding for the past six years and because our funding is allotted in three year increments, we face another three years of status quo,” Stewart added. “I have relayed that message to the Ministry of Justice and told them that if things did not change by June 30, we would not be able to provide services to Meadow Lake, Île-à-la-Crosse and those areas.”