The Alberta Government is investing $1 million into a new forensic evidence collection training program for health care providers so that they will be able to collect evidence and provide service to sexual assault survivors in rural communities.

Associate Minister of Status of Women Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk explained sexual assault survivors in rural Alberta often have to travel long distances to access these forensic exams. Because of this, the $1 million will go towards training two people per hospitals throughout all of Alberta, which is approximately 190 people.

Armstrong-Homeniuk believes access to forensic exams will play a big role in victims reporting sexual assault crimes.

"This will allow for more reporting; throughout the entire province in rural Alberta, there will be more reporting because there will be easier access for the evidence collection. When there's easier access to evidence collection, it allows the conversation and actual supports to come into place, so there will be more reporting among victims," she explained.

Through increased access, Armstrong Homeniuk hopes to see both a decrease in sexual assault crimes and an increase in convictions. In Canada, it's estimated that only 6% of these crimes are reported to the police, and when they are, the conviction rate is only 0.3%. 

"I have made it my priority to close these gaps and increase the support we provide survivors, including their access to forensic evidence collection. Increased access to evidence collection further empowers sexual assault survivors to report crimes committed against them."

Executive Director of PACE, a non-profit focused on supporting sexual assault survivors, Jacquie Aitken said the need for rural supports is especially important. She said the rural rate for sexual assault within the family is 3.5x higher than the urban rate and close to half of all Albertans have experienced sexual abuse.

"45% of adult Albertans will have been sexually abused at some point in their lifetime, that is a large number. And they found 44% of girls and 24% of boys would have experienced this sexual abuse prior to 18," Aitken said.

Last year, the rate of reported sexual assault jumped 21%. Through this new program, Armstrong-Homeniuk expects reports to continue to rise, which will hopefully coincide with fewer crimes, as the empowerment of victims may deter would be assaulters.

"It’s time to work together to close the gap and make sure all sexual assault survivors in Alberta have access to evidence collection, regardless of where an assault occurs. We need to continue to step up and show up for survivors of sexual assault."

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