Thrive Northumberland reports growing gender-based violence
By Cecilia Nasmith
Thrive Northumberland's annual community snapshot has compared the prevalence of gender-based violence in Northumberland County in the year before the COVID-19 outbreak and in the first year of the pandemic.
“Service levels have been negatively impacted, community and sexual-assault counselling appointments nearly tripled pre-pandemic, and appointments with the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault nurse-examiner increased since the beginning of COVID-19,” the Thrive press release summed up.
The Thrive: Northumberland Coalition to End Violence Against Women's latest community snapshot examined data and insight for the period of April 1, 2019 through March 31, 2021 as collected by 14 community agencies that support women and children in varying capacities in order to gauge the occurrences of gender-based violence as well as demand for services (and opportunities for enhanced service co-ordination) in Northumberland County. The data also provided an assessment of gender-based violence trends before and during the pandemic.
During the reporting period, 1,761 individual sexual-assault counselling hours were provided by the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre.
Northumberland County's Community and Social Services Department reported that 34 women reported experiencing homelessness due to emotional, physical, psychological or sexual abuse.
Highland Shores Children's Aid received 299 referrals of situations linked to adult conflict or partner violence.
Victim Services Peterborough Northumberland supported 1,722 victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre provided shelter for 217 Indigenous and non-Indigenous women and children.
Crisis and helplines serving Northumberland received nearly 3,000 calls related to violence, assault or abuse.
The three police services covering the county – the OPP, along with Cobourg and Port Hope police forces – reported a combined total of 935 occurrences of domestic violence.
Thrive Northumberland is one of the provincial Violence Against Women Community Co-ordinating Committees, representing community agencies and service providers that address domestic abuse, sexual assault and gender-based violence in and around Northumberland County. It is funded entirely by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.
Thrive works with more than 20 local organizations and agencies that provide direct support to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
It also operates a weekly drop-in centre Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon for women and children experiencing violence, assault, harassment, trafficking or other forms of abuse. Women can access services from multiple agencies under one roof – from housing support to family-court support, counselling to safety planning, access to primary health care, child welfare and social services to harm-reduction services. No appointment is needed – just walk in or call to chat with a front-line worker online (https://thrivenorthumberland.com/womens-resource-hub/)
The Thrive coalition calls upon members of the public, community leaders, health-care practitioners, first responders and front-line workers to familiarize themselves with the details of this report, as well as the services and supports available to women and children who are experiencing violence.
“If you know someone who needs, refer them to the weekly Thrive drop-in centre,” the press release urged.
“Even in a period of isolation, Thrive is committed to ensuring no one is alone. Together, we can all do our part to build safe communities.”
