Squamish council is going to present a resolution to change how survivors of sexual assault access tools for justice across the province during the upcoming Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.
Squamish council’s resolution seeks to provide 24/7 access to rape kits, and shift rape kit funding from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Justice.
The annual UBCM meeting in late September represents an opportunity for the province’s local governments to come together, share experiences and take a united position.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a rape kit refers to a sexual assault forensic exam, where specially trained medical staff work with the survivor to collect evidence – fibres, hair, semen – from their body. The staff who administer the rape kit are able to provide medical testimony in court.
Until 2015 rape kits were not accessible in Squamish, and survivors of sexualized violence had to travel to Vancouver to access them. The fact that rape kits are now accessible in Squamish is the result of work done by advocates who wished to remove some barriers to justice that survivors of sexualized violence face.
When rape kits began to be offered at Squamish General Hospital, Laurie Leith, director of the Vancouver Coastal Health, told the CBC that, “Local doctors have expressed interest in getting trained.
Eventually, they will form a team with the goal of being available on a 24-hour basis.”
However, little has changed since 2015 and rape kits are still only available between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the hospital. To access rape kits outside of business hours, survivors must still travel to Vancouver.
Squamish council has requested municipalities across British Columbia write letters of support for its resolution to change how rape kits are accessed and funded.
Houston district council in northern B.C. has responded with a letter of support and, in the next couple weeks, it will become clear if other municipalities will do the same.
Megan Reynolds, executive director of the Howe Sound Women’s Centre, believes that the resolution Squamish is bringing to the UBCM is a positive step and that it demonstrates a local acknowledgment of the lack of resources for survivors of sexualized violence in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Reynolds says that it brings the issue of sexualized violence to light not just in the community of Squamish, but the province overall.
Coun. Susan Chapelle, who has been an instrumental player in advocating for survivors of sexualized violence in the Sea to Sky Corridor, says that although she expects the UBCM to endorse the resolution, she recognizes that moving the funding will be difficult.
Acting mayor Doug Race explains that what Squamish council is trying to do at the UBCM is muster the collective voice of municipalities across B.C. to support the resolution in the hope of sending a strong unified message to the provincial government in support of the change.
In other words, the UBCM meeting does not have legislative authority – the ultimate decision lies in the hands of Vancouver Coastal Health.
Beyond access to rape kits, Reynolds says that it is important that survivors work with a robust support system that operates with the principles of trauma-informed practice, culturally sensitive practice and self-determination of the survivor.
The current system does not guarantee trauma-informed care, culturally sensitive practice, or respect of survivors right to self-determination, according to Reynolds. The failure to meet this need is one reason Reynolds believes that all levels of government and not-for-profit organizations could be doing more to address the issue of sexualized violence.
Trauma informed practice is care that takes into consideration the historical life experience of the survivor and recognizes the experience as traumatic, which means that it might affect their immediate reaction or long-term healing journey. Cultural sensitivity is based on ensuring that the caregiver is able to adapt its services to address the unique needs of indigenous women, as well as multicultural women who may have different experiences, or whose experience with sexualized violence may be unique because of their specific cultural circumstances.
Finally, providing care with the principal of self-determination refers to the idea that the survivor’s needs and desire should guide the caregivers and be respected at all times.
