Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services

Sexual Violence and COVID-19

Presenters

• Cheryl Wallach – Communications Specialist

• Lisa Oracheski – Criminal Justice Response Coordinator

AASAS Member Organizations

Sexual Assault/Abuse Services at a glance:

Counselling

A unified voice on issues of sexual abuse and sexual assault

•Access

•Awareness

https://aasas.ca/

AASAS Initiatives• Counselling Adult Survivors of Sexual Assault

Training

• Enhanced Emergency Sexual Assault Services Training

• Coordination and Collaboration

• First Responder to Sexual Assault and Abuse Training

• Improving and Enhancing the Criminal Justice Response to Sexual Assault

• Collaborative Community Response/Rural Response to Sexual Violence

• #IBelieveYou Public Awareness Campaign

• Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence

Coordination and Collaboration

• Two day training, inclusive of the full continuum of sexual violence and across the lifespan.

• Survivors who receive safe and supportive responses to disclosures of sexual violence are more likely to reach out for help from medical and counselling services and/ or report to police.

• Accredited for 13 Category A credits for Social Workers in Alberta

• $250 per person

First Responder to Sexual Assault and Abuse Training

Criminal Justice Response to Sexual Assault

Community Collaborative Response

#IBelieveYou Campaign

Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence9am – 9pm, 7 days a week

Language Interpretation available

Why talk about Sexual Violence during COVID-19?• In 2019 the prevalence study indicated 45% of

surveyed had experienced some type of sexual abuse = 1.8 million Albertans

• Research indicates that rates of domestic violence, sexual violence, and child abuse increase during disasters and times of crisis

• There is emerging evidence that this is already happening in jurisdictions ahead of us in the COVID-19 curve, such as China and France.

• Imposed regulations, such as physical distancing and self-isolation, can increase risk and also impose additional barriers to service access for survivors.

COVID-19 Response: Counselling Services• Member locations are still serving clients

• Client needs have shifted, increase in crisis support, information, referrals, psychoeducation, and skill building

• Therapists/Counsellors are conducting sessions on the phone or via a secure online platform

• Future considerations • Safety, assessment/triage of new clients, services

for children, access to technology, wait lists, trauma processing, research needed

• Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence is operational across the province

COVID-19 Response: Public Education• Members have public education programs that

typically deliver presentations, workshops, and seminars in the community about sexual violence in an age-appropriate way.

• Where able, members are translating presentation materials and information into online formats.

• Considerations: often there are disclosures during or after in-person presentations, so how to deal with that without face-to-face interaction, how to ensure containment strategies, referrals, etc.

COVID-19 Response: Police and Court Support• Forensic evidence collection at hospitals is still

available, although there may be delays and/or increased screening to access the facility

• Reporting to law enforcement is still available, with physical distancing in place as possible; recorded interviews may be delayed

• Legal proceedings are only moving forward in instances where there is an urgent need (ie. accused is in custody, safety risk, etc.); there is still the ability to access EPOs

• With the added stress, it may be that there is increased reluctance to engage with institutional systems where there is no control of process

What should you do if someone discloses to you?

•Recognize

•Respond

•Refer

Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence1-866-403-8000 vwww.aasas.ca

Questions?

Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence1-866-403-8000www.aasas.ca