On Monday, April 30, 2018 the Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre announced changes to its crisis line, effective May 1. Coverage will not be interrupted and people are invited to continue using the crisis line without any changes to the way they access the service.
SSAIC will now operate their crisis line in partnership with Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service. SSAIC handles the calls during the day, and Crisis Intervention covers the line outside of regular business hours. This service is available to you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling 306-244-2224.
Starting May 1, 2018, the crisis line responder is unable to send staff or volunteers to the hospital to meet survivors and support them through the medical/forensic kit process.
SSAIC recognizes that victim support at the hospital is crucial, however, due to financial distress the agency is unable to afford the costs associated with hospital accompaniment at this time.
SSAIC is engaged in discussions with the Saskatchewan Health Authority regarding options to address this gap in service to victims of sexual violence.
We very much appreciate the dedication of our Crisis Line Coordinator and Volunteers to this service over the years. The Rape Crisis Line, established in 1975, was our flagship program and we are pleased that we can continue to support survivors of sexual violence with empathy and information, day or night.