First-of-its-kind sexual violence support centre set to open in April

A first-of-its-kind sexual violence support centre in B.C. is set to open in downtown Vancouver at the end of April.

The Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre will include counselling, a 24/7 crisis line, and the Lower Mainland’s first-ever integrated sexual assault medical clinic.

Dalya Israel, the centre’s executive director, says it’s important for the place to feel good for people.

“(We’re) really wanting this space to be a safe space but also a space that aesthetically makes people feel grounded,” she said of the space, which is still under construction.

“You’ll see our counselling hub now has eight rooms and we’re going to have a specialized room for Indigenous counselling, a space where our elders can be and where medicine can be used.”

The centre is expected to provide services to more than 10,000 people annually.

Feedback from survivors has been gathered and put into the design. The centre’s website says the facility will be a safe space not only for women.

“Our service model and mandate has not changed. We proudly serve women, trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, gender diverse, and sex-working survivors,” it says.

“We have learned a lot from queer trans survivors, and found that services designed for cis-gender heterosexual women are not always right for trans and gender diverse people.”

The website also indicates that healing for Indigenous survivors is an important goal for the organization.

“We strive to deliver programming that is culturally safe and relevant with a focus on the specific needs of Indigenous survivors and grounded in traditional practices,” it says.

The centre adds it does not require survivors to disclose their Nation or Status.

Trina Prince, a donor and a past board chair, says a space for survivors is significant.

“Survivors need a place where they feel safe, where they feel seen, where they feel heard. And this space is going to provide that,” she said.

People seeking services can self-refer through the centre’s 24-hour crisis line.

Frontline workers say the demand for a space like this has grown over time because people need care rapidly after an assault, adding that need was not being met in the past.

Even though the centre has not opened yet, the waitlist for counselling is already two and a half years. The organization says people who are deemed at high risk will be triaged faster.

“I think, as a society, we’ve reached this kind of cultural tipping point where we’re talking about it more often. I think more people are reporting and needing support to navigate the criminal legal system,” Israel said.

The centre says it will also be a place where victims can report to police and testify in court virtually.

The facility’s exact location is currently confidential for safety reasons.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to show Salal does not require that Indigenous survivors disclose their Nation or Status.