The feds are pumping $6.2 million into provincial programs that support victims of crime in Nova Scotia.
Justice Minister David Lametti says it will be directed towards groups who face added barriers to accessing justice.
“Victims of crime need our support. This is especially important for Indigenous victims of crime and survivors of sexual assault who face additional barriers to receiving access to justice.” Lametti says in a news release. “Ensuring that victims have access to the resources and information they need and know their rights is critical to victims having a more effective voice in the criminal justice system. The funding provided to Nova Scotia will help achieve those important goals.”
The federal government says $3.5 million will go towards Nova Scotia’s Enhancement of Services for Victims of Crime program.
The funding will help people from Indigenous communities access the legal system, hire an Indigenous victims case coordinator, and help track unpaid restitution orders.
Nova Scotia’s Sexual Offence Legal Representation program, which helps survivors in sexual assault trials by providing them with access to legal representation, is receiving $2.7 million.
“According to a Statistics Canada survey, in 2018, almost six million Canadians, 30% of women and 8% of men, had been a victim of sexual assault since age 15. 55% of both Indigenous women and bisexual women reported that they had been sexually assaulted since the age of 15,” the news release says.
The funding will be delivered over five years.
