Edmundston – Sexual violence is a crime that has devastating consequences and can cause significant trauma for survivors, victims, and their loved ones. The Government of Canada is committed to helping all victims and survivors of sexual crimes by establishing partnerships, to offer them tailored and accessible services.
René Arseneault, MP for Madawaska—Restigouche, on behalf of Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Charlotte Côté, Director of Escale MadaVic, announced funding of $2,127,922 over six years (2021–2027) to Escale MadaVic to support victims and survivors of sexual crimes in the Madawaska and Victoria counties of New Brunswick.
The funding announced today supports Escale MadaVic’s project, “Continuité de développement de la stratégie de collaboration” [Continued Collaborative Strategy Development]. Through the implementation of a collaborative strategy with over 25 stakeholders, including Indigenous and immigrant communities, this project addresses the needs of sexual violence victims and survivors, and improves their access to community response services. The consolidation of this network will improve the sexual violence services and resources available in remote areas of New Brunswick—where access to services is limited and often unavailable in French.
This project will enable the organization to provide its partners with the knowledge and tools they need to address the complex traumas that may result from sexual violence. Working in collaboration with its municipal partners, Escale MadaVic will also inform victims and survivors of the laws and services available to them, as well as raise public awareness of sexual violence through social media and traditional media. These approaches will enable the organization to reach a greater number of people in remote areas.
The Department of Justice Canada is awarding Escale MadaVic $900,000 over three fiscal years (2021–2024) and $1,227,922 over three additional fiscal years (2024–2027) through the Sexual Assault stream of the Victims Fund. This fund provides the resources and knowledge survivors need to facilitate access to justice, improve the capacity of service providers, foster the establishment of referral networks, and increase awareness of services available to victims and survivors of crime and their families.
Founded in 1988, Escale MadaVic is a non-profit organization offering a range of support services to victims of violence—be it spousal, domestic or sexual—and their children, in all their diversity, in the Madawaska and Victoria counties of New Brunswick. Using a trauma-focused approach, the services provided include a shelter; a centre for therapy, assistance and support for victims and survivors of sexual violence; outreach, second stage and artistic expression programs; as well as a 24-hour helpline.
“The funding we are announcing today to Escale MadaVic will help provide better access to justice and community services for victims and survivors of sexual violence. It will also support our national and provincial efforts to keep communities safe, protect victims and survivors, and hold offenders accountable for their actions.” – Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada