Sheila Bautz
Special to the Herald
Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan (SASS) and the Government of Saskatchewan have joined forces. Together, they declared May 2025 as Sexual Violence Prevention Month, which includes interpersonal violence.
Many strategies are being implemented, including re-opening cases for reviews in Prince Albert and area.
“Sexual Violence Prevention Month is a time to raise awareness, inspire action and strengthen our efforts to end sexual violence in Saskatchewan,” said Kerrie Isaac, Executive Director of Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan (SASS), which was founded in 1984.
Through the justice system, the Saskatchewan government is also allocating a multi-million dollar investment for interpersonal violence programs.
One plan of government action involves the “text or call” referral program 211 Saskatchewan. The service navigator contains 6000 services across the province, which have been collected and compiled on the platform. To eliminate language barriers, it is multi-lingual with 175 different languages and includes 17 Indigenous languages.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe physically in their relationships and in their communities,” said Saskatchewan Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Alana Ross. “We stand with survivors and work towards a future free from harm.”
The province of Saskatchewan has the highest rates of interpersonal violence and sexual violence in Canada. The statistics from the Saskatchewan RCMP reveal that the rates of intimate partner violence reported in 2023 occurred at a frequency of 890 per 100,000 population. This demonstrates a 13 per cent increase of incidents over a five year period.
The Government of Saskatchewan announced a $31.7 million budget for 2025 and 2026 dedicated to interpersonal violence programs and services. In addition, the government funds eight sexual violence service organization in the province with $1.8 million. The funding is allocated to promote public safety and provide counseling with support for victims of sexual violence.
There is a strategy in place to be accomplished through the justice system. This may bear some issues in the current social climate where the justice system poses challenges of its own in these sensitive and specialized areas.
The challenges include reports from victims about how the judicial and legal system treat victims of various types of abuse. In 2021, the Federal Government of Canada made a national amendment to the Divorce Act. The amendments require by law that judges acknowledge the history of past abuse in family court proceedings when determining important life altering decisions on behalf of victims of violence.
In the 2016 published discoveries made by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, an astute focus was placed on Saskatchewan’s Indigenous women who experience intimate partner violence, including sexual assaults. Most recently in November, 2024, the Federal Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, revealed similar findings of an increase of intimate partner violence in Saskatchewan. Their study showed the trends in police-reported family and intimate partner violence.
In the publicly released Saskatchewan Report: Rural and northern response to intimate partner violence (2016), a survivor described how interpersonal violence affects entire communities.
“I mean this issue is a community issue,” the anonymous victim said. “It’s not an individual issue, which is too often how it’s thought. It’s part of our community… And that means everyone who’s involved because it’s hurting everyone, not just the person who’s violent but those you know, who receive the violence and then those who witness that violence.”
There is an additional $720,000 allocated by the government for community-based organizations. The government funding also includes addressing second-stage housing for victims while in transition as they escape violence. The community-based organizations involved will receive additional supports and services for the victims of interpersonal violence, which often includes sexual and physical violence. A part of the strategy for creating awareness on sexual violence and interpersonal violence will include Victim Advocate Case Reviews on closed files.
The Importance of Victim Advocate Case Reviews
Victim Advocate Case Reviews are important for many reasons. Many factors weigh into the causes of interpersonal violence and sexual violence. The benefit extends from the victims of the violent acts and provides further insights for protective agencies that want to see justice served.
Statistics and studies by the federal and provincial governments reveal that the colonial culture is an ingredient for the high rates of various types of violence in Saskatchewan. Cultural influences undeniably have a role in violence within the province. This includes normalizing various toxic habits and social conduct. One factor that greatly contributes to various forms of violence is addictions.
“With our province facing one of the highest [violence] rates in Canada,” Isaac explained, “it’s critical to address root causes like addiction, which is closely linked to sexual violence. We call on communities, government and advocacy groups to work together for real prevention and support.”
According to official government reports, the cost of living is also a contributor to various forms of violence in some cases. Limited resources prove to be an obstacle in a wide demographic that can be isolating. However, abuse and violence occur on every income level and by individuals in all occupations.
“It can happen to anyone,” said Kim Stewart, a Saskatchewan RCMP Domestic Violence Coordinator who specializes in intimate partner and family violence investigations, which involves risk management and victim safety planning.
“We see it across all socioeconomic circumstances,” he added.
As a result, the Saskatchewan government is in the process of Victim Advocate Case Reviews. This involves re-opening closed sexual assault files with community experts working with police agencies. The aim is to identify and improve future investigation results, particularly in the cases of sexual violence.
In some cases, victims of violence who reach out for help can find themselves further compromised and susceptible to even greater risks of violence. The form of violence morphs to include the legal and government systems that are meant to protect them, such as with further psychological and financial devastation. This creates a secondary trauma for victims of violence.
In addition, family members and community members who witness violent and abusive behavior also suffer trauma. When justice is not served, communities lose faith in the justice system.
As one anonymous intimate partner victim said upon hearing the news that Victim Advocate Case Reviews were planned, “The government may have to step on some judges toes in this dance.”
Many victims choose silence due to the serious reality of receiving life threatening consequences from challenging their abusers and violent offenders.
In some cases, the police-reported incidents may create frustration for protective agencies, such as the RCMP. They are the primary investigators of which many work hard to ensure children, youth and adults who are victimized receive the protection they require. However, conflicts may result amongst the participants in the extended justice system. After finishing an investigation, the legal system may issue confusing court rulings contrary to the evidence presented.
The case reviews will occur in Regina, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert. The Prince Albert Police Service and Prairie Mobile Crisis Unit will be the agencies supporting the Victim Advocate Case Reviews in Prince Albert and area.
When involved in a violent situation, 211 Saskatchewan allows victims of violence to access vital services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This includes intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and the epidemic of human trafficking blazing across the province of Saskatchewan. Call or text 211 for immediate assistance.
