UBC sexual assault support centre sees demand nearly triple, seeks additional funding
Beginning Monday, UBC students will be voting on a proposed fee increase to fund an on-campus sexual assault support centre that has seen a major surge in demand since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aashna Josh is the manager of the Alma Mater Society's Sexual Assault Support Centre, which has been operating on UBC's Vancouver campus since 2002.
She told CTV News the centre has seen a nearly three-fold increase in requests for service since 2018, and the bulk of that increase - roughly a doubling - has happened since the pandemic began.
"We're finding that we have to book a week out sometimes because we just don't have the availability or the time slots with our current staffing levels," Josh said.
That level of delay is acceptable for some of the services the centre offers, but not for students in crisis or seeking urgent support.
The SASC is asking students to approve a $6.42 increase in student fees to cover the cost of restructuring its staffing. Josh said the centre's goal is to have more staff members working full-time, providing greater availability and consistency for those seeking SASC services.
In a news release, the AMS described the SASC as "the only fully independent sexual assault support centre at UBC," saying it provides support to "students of all genders and identities with extended evening and weekend hours, low-barrier access, support groups, and accompaniment and advocacy services."
Students can vote in the referendum online from Monday, March 7 to Friday, March 11.
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