The B.C. government is allocating $10 million through a three-year grant program to provide emergency sexual assault response services and help survivors throughout the province. “Gender-based violence, including sexual assault, can increase during times of crisis, and that’s why our government continues to prioritize services and supports for survivors of these devastating crimes,” Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said on Tuesday.
The province said it is still too early to determine the full impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on sexual violence. Different organizations have seen different responses.
Many organizations described it as “eerily quiet” during the first two weeks of the pandemic restrictions, and thought survivors were