A new provincewide hotline to provide confidential support and increase access to services for sexual violence survivors is both needed and welcome.
The One Line platform was launched last week in response to increased demand for services in urban and rural communities, say officials.
Modelled after a similar hotline that has been operating out of Red Deer for several years, the new platform allows the user to reach trained, specialized responders and resources such counselling, mental health help, and addiction services.
Access can be gained through a landline or cellphone, texting or chatting on a computer, or through the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS).
“What we saw was survivors for the first time coming forward and talking about what had happened to them,” Deb Tomlinson, chief executive officer of the association, reportedly said.
“There was a tremendous increase for our services; in some centres the demand doubled. And so, we really saw that we needed to find a way to continue the momentum, to create a safe and confidential avenue for people to reach out and just to keep it going and increase the access to services.
“They’ll listen, they’ll provide non-judgmental support, a guaranteed ‘I believe you’ response and then provide information and resources to aid the caller in taking their next steps in the healing journey, very much focused on letting the survivor be in the driver’s seat.”
The new service is the result of consultations between Alberta Justice and other stakeholders including sexual assault support centres across Alberta.
It is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week with interpretation services in over 200 languages. From 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., the Red Deer centre will field calls for help.
The service can be reached at 1-866-403-8000 or at the AASAS website at aasas.ca.
Providing additional support for sexual assault survivors is an excellent use of public resources. And this new service is also a fine example of stakeholders working together for the better good.
- Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor
