Sexual Assault Crisis Calls: An Indicator of Violence in Waterloo Region

Only one in eight sexual assaults in Canada is reported to police. The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region calls for service provides an additional data point to examine sexual assault rates in Waterloo Region. However, this number should be viewed with caution as it fluctuates based on promotion of the crisis line and provides only total number of calls.

The Statistics

Data Source: Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, Annual Report

Story Behind the Numbers

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region calls for service have varied considerably since 2007. In the past year there has not been a noticeable increase in the number of calls to the crisis line. In 2012 there was no wait list for men but the wait list for counselling services for women reached an all time high of 40 despite an additional part time counsellor and reducing the number of sessions for some clients. This decrease in counselling availability is creating hardships for victims and may be one reason behind the increase in calls to the crisis line rather than indicative of an increase in sexual assaults.

Read the Community Response:

• Sexual violence is pervasive, but it’s not inevitable. It’s preventable. by Sara Casselman, Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region