Sexual violence crisis centre faces an uncertain future

Published On: March 8, 2019

York Region’s only sexual violence crisis centre faces an uncertain future after promised provincial funding falls through.

The Women’s Support Network of York Region, based in Newmarket and serving survivors of sexual violence across the region’s vast urban and rural terrain, was to receive an $89,000 top-up this year approved under the former Liberal government.


“For survivors [of sexual assault], not only are they confronted with a waiting list after having the courage to step forward or disclose something traumatic they’ve experienced, but when they access a service they find out it’s time-limited because we can’t continue to offer the service on a permanent basis,” Women’s Support Network executive director Jackie Benn-John said. “I can’t ask people to put their crisis on hold.”

Read more about sexual assault centre funding here.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

  • CHCH: Hate crime investigation launched in assault at Take Back the Night: Hamilton police

    "At SACHA we know that because violence is contingent on power and control, there is an inherent relationship between ending sexual violence and ending all forms of violence."    Read [...]

    Published On: September 25, 2023

  • Amelia Rising could close if funding doesn’t increase – LETTER TO EDITOR

    "Based on decades of established research, it is well understood that the way to reduce sexual and gender-based violence is to remove financial and social power imbalances, teach accurate sexual [...]

    Published On: July 12, 2023

  • Former Niagara cop who ran massage business sexually abused 11 women. Will serve 18 months of house arrest

    "Nicole Pietsch, an advocate with the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres, said this decision suggests preferential treatment for police officers and Kukoly should have taken the risks of imprisonment [...]

    Published On: July 6, 2023