Ottawa sexual violence care program seeing a spike in patients, anticipating more

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Since last spring, Ottawa’s Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care program has been dealing with a surge in patients seeking treatment.

Between April and June, according to the most recently available figures, the program based at the Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital saw a 30-per-cent increase in patients seeking care after sexual assault compared to a year earlier. It also saw a year-over-year increase of almost 10 per cent in people seeking treatment for partner abuse.

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And health workers are bracing for more as September approaches.

Fall is considered a “red zone” for sexual assault and partner violence, said Kaitlyn Maki, who is care facilitator of the nurse-led program based at The Ottawa Hospital’s Civic campus.

That means programs that treat patients for sexual assault and partner abuse typically see surges in requests for treatment in September, October and November. The return to school for university and college students and an increase in socializing both contribute to increased demand for treatment, Maki said. Rates of sexual violence are highest among people between the ages of 16 and 24, according to the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres, a demographic that includes many post-secondary students.

Still, Maki and others who work in the field know what they see likely only represents the tip of the iceberg.

Sexual violence continues to be underreported for a variety of reasons, including stigma.

“Asking for help with anything takes a lot of courage. People always have a reason for not coming forward,” Maki said.

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Maki and others are working to make sure people are familiar with the program, part of an organization of 37 sites across Ontario.

The program has operated at the Civic campus for 30 years It is staffed by a team of health professionals, mainly specially trained nurses, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. It is open to anyone 16 or over in the Ottawa region seeking treatment for sexual assault, intimate partner violence or human trafficking.

CHEO has a similar treatment program for youths under 16.

Patients are offered acute care following incidents and follow-ups for up to three months. The program can collect evidence, but it is up to patients to decide whether they want to go through the criminal justice system.

Maki said the aim of the program was to “give them back the power,” allowing patients to decide what kind of support and treatment they wanted.

“Everyone’s journey is different. Not everyone engages with police. For some people, being able to be in control after is very helpful,” she said. “The people we see are resilient and come with a lot of strength.”

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She said patients had the option to anonymously report sexual assault to the police. The team, which includes a social worker, also provides services that include counselling referrals and safety planning.

Outreach is important during back-to-school season so that people know what the program is and how to get in touch if they need to, Maki said. This year, that will include a presence at some events affiliated with post-secondary orientation weeks.

“We want them to know we exist. We provide care and they can engage in any aspect of care they want. We have staff here 24/7,” Maki said.

Dr. Renée Bradley, medical director of the program, says it is crucial to increase awareness of the services as back-to-school approaching.

“I feel like there is not a lot of awareness that these services exist. We are just trying to get the word out,” she said. “These services are completely confidential. We are there 24/7 at the Civic campus to serve people.”

Maki said the work of the specialized team in the program could be difficult, but rewarding.

“We find a lot of meaning in the work.”

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The Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program (ottawahospital.on.ca) can be reached by telephone at 613 798-5555 extension 13770 or by email at sa_dv@toh.ca.

CHEO’s Sexual Assault/Abuse Care Program-CHEO is reachable by telephone at 613-737-7600 extension 2939 or by email sacarefacilitator@cheo.on.ca

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