McGuinty Government Increases Funding To Sexual Assault Centres 

     Supporting Delivery Of Victim Services Across Ontario

     TORONTO, Aug. 30 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government will boost funding for

sexual assault centres to support the delivery of services to victims,

Attorney General Michael Bryant and Sandra Pupatello, Minister Responsible for

Women's Issues, said today.

     "Victims of sexual assault need high quality, community-based services to

help them overcome their trauma," said Bryant. "This additional funding will

help these centres to meet increased operational costs so they can assist

clients at a critical time in their lives."

     "With this investment we are building on our efforts to improve supports

for victims of sexual assault," said Pupatello. "The McGuinty government takes

the issue of sexual assault and all other forms of violence against women very

seriously. That is why we are spending more than $190 million annually on

services to address violence against women."

     "We are pleased that this funding will help us to meet the rising cost of

providing vital services to our clients," said Marilyn Oladimeji, President,

Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres. "Ontario's rape crisis centres have

evolved continually to meet the changing needs of women and our services have

grown from crisis line support in a few locations to our current broad range

of services, including 24-hour crisis/support lines."

     The government invests $13 million per year in 38 sexual assault centres

across the province. Today's announcement represents a three per cent

increase.

     Provincially funded sexual assault centres in Ontario serve more than

36,000 women each year, offering support, assistance and compassion. The broad

range of confidential services offered free of charge includes:

         -  24-hour crisis and support lines that provide information and

            emotional support, counselling on available services and referrals

            to appropriate community agencies for women who have experienced

            sexual assault

         -  Accompanying victims to hospital, to meetings with police and to

            Court

         -  Supportive peer counselling services, both one-on-one and group

            sessions, to help victims recover from trauma

         -  One-on-one information and referral services for victims

         -  Public and professional education regarding the nature and extent

            of sexual violence.

     The McGuinty government and Ontarians are working together to achieve

results in supporting victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other

crimes of violence. Further initiatives include:

         -  Providing $4.9 million for a public education campaign to promote

            healthy, equal relationships and change attitudes that perpetuate

            violence against women

         -  Expanding the Child Victim/Witness Centre program to all regions

            of the province to provide support services and court preparation

            for children, many of whom have been sexually abused or exposed to

            domestic violence

         -  Investing more than $15 million over the past three years in the

            Community Grant Program, including $6 million in 2007-08, in more

            than 200 locally based, innovative projects that enhance services

            for victims of crime across Ontario

         -  Implementing a comprehensive, five-part, $5 million strategy to

            address Internet child pornography and offer support to victims

            and referrals to community services.