We’ve all heard about the airline industry being affected from the pandemic, as well tourism, restauraunts but one area that remains largely under the radar is domestic violence.
According to Deidre Goudriaan, Sources Community Resource Centre’s Trauma Counselling Manager, they’ve seen an increase in reports of domestic violence in Surrey and around the Lower Mainland since the pandemic hit.
Stats show one in four women in B.C is impacted by interpersonal violence with Indigenous women three times that rate.
“Not only has the need gone up since the pandemic hit, but the needs of the women in these situations have dramatically changed,” says Diedre. “Imagine being with a partner experiencing violence in that relationship, and now you’re in a lockdown situation where it’s difficult for you to go anywhere else, do anything else, or get the kind of support you might need.”
Add to the fact a lot of those women don’t have a smartphone to seek help – and victims are left feeling completely helpless.
To help, Rogers and Shaw have donated complimentary cellphones along with voice and data plans to the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia, with five of those smartphones going to Sources.
“One of the advantages of women being able to access technology or phone support is they can maybe get out of the house for a short amount of time so we’ve had many women reach out to us from their vehicles, go to a local park, just find somewhere in the community where they can reach out to us.”
If you are needing access to a phone, or to reach out for any kind of help, contact Sources.
Listen to Pulse FM Tara Doyle’s full interview with Diedre: