A Saskatoon organization has temporarily halted counselling sessions for sexual violence survivors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Saskatoon Sexual Assault and Information Centre’s (SSAIC) counsellors are working from home, but they aren’t facilitating their usual sessions with survivors over the phone or video chat.
SSAIC executive director Faye Davis said they gave phone counselling a try when the pandemic was in its early stages, but working from home came with distractions, such as child care demands. “When we provide a service, we want to ensure it’s a good service,” Davis told Global News.
Some clients had the same problem, she said, while others declined counselling over the phone because they felt it wouldn’t be as helpful as