Sex assault program struggles to keep up with growing volume

Although patient load has quadrupled, funding has not changed significantly

Staff members are already struggling to keep up with growing patient volumes in the sexual assault and partner abuse care program at The Ottawa Hospital. And medical director Dr. Kari Sampsel expects a further spike in coming months as the #MeToo movement takes hold.

“We are expecting to have a really busy summer.”

Patient volumes at the program, which operates out of the emergency department at the Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital, have tripled in the past decade. The most recent numbers don’t fully reflect the effect of the #MeToo movement, which is encouraging people to talk about sexual assault and to seek help.

Meanwhile, the program’s funding has changed little since it was set in 2004, when it saw 247 patients a year, said Sampsel. In recent years, the program has seen closer to 1,000 patients, and that number will likely grow.

“2004 was quite a while ago,” she said. “The world has changed what it thinks about sexual assault. We are hitting huge numbers, even before the real impact of #MeToo is felt.”

Sampsel said she applies to the province yearly for more money to run the program. But its current budget of about $480,000 to cover staff and supplies has not changed significantly in more than a decade.

A spokesperson for the Champlain LHIN said the program has received $31,000 in each of the past two years (2016-17 and 201718) for “additional counselling and outreach services.” That funding provides about 10 hours a week of social work coverage for the program, said Sampsel.

In light of growing demand, Sampsel said, what the program needs is to increase followup visit days from two to four days a week. Under the current budget, she said, it is a challenge to see patients for crucial followup visits.

“We do the best we can. We are trying to cobble together creative solutions. But I don’t know where we will end up if we continue to increase. It has been really difficult.”

The program has specially trained emergency nurses available 24/7 to see sexual assault and domestic violence patients. A staff nurse practitioner sees patients for followup visits two days a week.

“It is really difficult. We are really decent at seeing people with first contact, but it gets tricky when multiple people present at the same time. Where we are struggling is following up on time.”

Initial visits can take two to three hours, from a medical checkup to completing an evidence kit. The goal is to do a followup visit within 72 hours, Sampsel said.

The program has been around since the 1980s. In 2004, it began receiving funding as a priority program.

Sampsel has done research showing that there are spikes in sexual assaults during festival season in Ottawa. Most festivals happen in summer.

“We are trying to keep up with the tidal wave as best we can,” Sampsel said.

“It is great that people are coming forward. But it is hard to keep up with the volume.”

A spokesperson for The Ottawa Hospital said both the scope of the program and the number of patients it sees have increased “as awareness for sexual and partner violence has increased.

“We will continue to work with the LHIN and our community partners to ensure that each patient receives not only the care they need, but access to resources to keep them safe as well.”

It is really difficult. We are really decent at seeing people with first contact, but it gets tricky when multiple people present at the same time.