The Windsor Essex Child/Youth Advocacy Centre is calling for increased, sustainable funding as the organization deals with a rising number of children and youth who have faced abuse and crime in Windsor-Essex.
According to WECYAC, the organization served nearly 750 new clients during the 2023–2024 fiscal year, and nearly 55% of the cases involved sexual assault or sexual abuse.
The new clients include not only children but also parents, caregivers, and siblings.
The organization says only 6% to 7% of the accused are unknown to the children.
Executive Director, Dr. Nila Das, says physical abuse and domestic violence are some of the other big reasons for the increase in cases.
"People of power or someone from the family—as you have seen in the data, a lot of times it is someone in the immediate family who is being accused. The children are afraid to speak up, so they are usually subjected to secondary abuses like physical abuse or sexual abuse," she says.
The centre is one of just ten specialized centres in Ontario and the only one in the Erie-St.Clair Local Health Integration Network.
It relies primarily on federal funding, covering 30% of the annual expenses, while the rest is heavily dependent on grants, which presents long-term sustainability challenges.
Officials say sustainable funding is essential not only for maintaining services but also for expanding them to meet the increased demands effectively.
Sharon Pyke, President of the WECYAC, says the biggest message to those in need is that you will get support from the center if you need it.
"Taking a step to tell a traumatic experience is very courageous, very courageous. The more we talk about taking those steps and having this place that you can go to that's not a typical place of authority, I think that's what kids need to hear," she says.
The WECYAC says there is also an urgent need to build community awareness on the local risks and the harsh realities of child and youth abuse, which is fundamental to fostering a supportive environment where prevention and early intervention can take place more effectively.
The Windsor Essex Child/Youth Advocacy Centre (WECYAC) provides a child-centered, safe location for children/youth to disclose their abuse to a specially trained team of professionals.
Click here for more information about WECYAC.