Across Canada, crisis lines, shelters, and transition homes have reported spikes in usage since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures to protect from COVID-19, such as physical distancing, staying home and reducing travel, may contribute to gender-based violence.
Health-care workers need to be ready to respond to this increased need, but at the same time we know that health-care workers can themselves be affected by gender-based violence. You may know survivors or be a survivor yourself, or you may experience vicarious trauma while caring for patients. It is equally important to address the effects of gender-based violence experienced by health-care workers to support everyone’s health and wellbeing during this pandemic.
VictimLinkBC: A toll-free, provincial help line, available 24/7 that provides information and referral services to all victims of crime, and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence. It is available in 130 languages including 17 Indigenous languages.
Phone: 1-800-563-0808. To call collect, call the Telus Relay Service at 711.
Text 604-836-6381
TTY 604-875-0885
Email VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca
KUU-US Crisis Line Society:
Provincial, 24/7 crisis line for Indigenous peoples including First Nation (Status and Non-status), Inuit and Metis.
Toll-free: 1-800-588-8717
Youth Line: 250-723-2040
Adult Line: 250-723-4050
