A sexual violence prevention coordinator in Labrador wants to see an increase in resources and more conversations surrounding sexual assault as the region continues to see a disproportionately high number of sexual assault cases.

The Canadian Press reported that between 2016 and 2020, the number of cases in Labrador was more than four times the national average and four to six times more than Newfoundland based on data supplied by the RNC and RCMP during that time.

Deirdre Connolly works with the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and says this statistic is not surprising. She calls it the tip of the iceberg as most sexual violence goes unreported, and the true number is undoubtedly higher.

Connolly says sexual violence is toxic and bred in silence and that it gets exponentially worse when it doesn’t get the help, attention, and resources that it needs.

The Centre, which opened in 2020, provides resources and programming to sexual violence survivors. Connolly says prevention and support are closely related; more education is needed, and awareness of what constitutes sexual assault, so people can feel safe to speak out.

Connolly says Labrador is vast and each community has diverse needs. She says a one-solution approach won’t work to prevent sexual violence—it requires a coordinated approach where government sits down at the table to see what will work in each community.