A rural crisis centre for survivors of sexual assault has received three years of federal funding after going to the media with its plight.
Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre provides counselling, advocacy and legal support in the Interlake and eastern Manitoba.
The centre was informed by the federal government that its funding would be discontinued as of April 3, 2024.
It had received a three-year funding commitment of $168,849 in April 2021 to support its sexual-assault recovery and healing program, which provides free counselling to people aged 13 and older.
On Thursday, the department announced it would give Survivor’s Hope $167,808 over the next three years for the program. The investment will be made through the government’s victims fund.
Executive director Coral Kendal said the funding means the centre will be able to maintain a full-time counsellor and keep the program in service.
“This is huge for the folks that we work with, to feel reassured and to trust that this will continue,” she said Thursday.
Kendal said the outcry after its funding ended makes clear supporters are willing to fight for Survivor’s Hope.
“We are feeling hopeful at this moment that those voices, those perspectives, and that action will continue to be heard,” she said.
It is the only resource centre with a focus on sexual violence in that area of Manitoba.
malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Malak Abas
Reporter
Malak Abas is a city reporter at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg’s North End, she led the campus paper at the University of Manitoba before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Malak.
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