Squamish is an absolutely awesome place to live. We have amazing landscapes and a great sense of community. We invite the world to our backyard and they are increasingly heeding the call.
That said, Squamish is not Disneyland. Crime, like sexual assault, happens here.
The vast majority — 87 per cent — of victims of sexual assaults nationwide are female according to Stats Can.
In a study of sexual assaults in Canada between 2009 to 2014, the median age of victims was 18 years old. The perpetrator was almost always male
“Women are assaulted because we live in a culture that views women as less valuable than men. In addition to sexism, factors like racism, colonization, homophobia, transphobia, classism, fatphobia, and ableism all contribute to violence against women,” according to WAVAW, the rape crisis centre in Vancouver.
Survivors of sexual assault can choose to have a forensic exam — a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE).
This involves the collection of DNA and other evidence by a specially trained nurse.
While the exam can be performed up to seven days after the attack, the sooner it is done the better, according to various authorities.
Ideally, the victim avoids washing, changing clothes, combing her hair or even using the washroom prior to the exam.
It is absolutely unacceptable that while victims can access medical care outside of the hours 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, survivors of sexual assault within the Sea to Sky Corridor do not have access to sexual assault forensic testing at the hospital outside of those hours.
To get the exam done in the evening or on the weekend, survivors must travel to other Vancouver Coast Health sites outside of Squamish.
After the trauma of being attacked, who would want to then leave their familiar surroundings to travel to the city?
The forensic exams — often called rape kits — are funded by the Ministry of Health.
Recently, Squamish council received the provincial government’s response to Squamish's 2017 resolution endorsed by the Union of BC Municipalities that called for the testing to be available 24/7 in the corridor.
In a nutshell, the response stated that the “volume” of assaults in some communities is too low to support having trained staff available 24/7. Seventeen communities don’t have nearby access to the service.
That makes no sense. If we don’t have the exams easily accessible, many women likely won’t seek them.
While it is great the NDP announced it will invest in new supportive homes for women fleeing violence throughout B.C., it isn’t enough.
Rough estimates are that about five per cent of sexual assaults are reported to police.
Access to the tests is a simple and basic anti-violence measure.
The current lack of access tips the scales against the victims, who deserve better.
