Jeanette Stewart; Regina Leader-Post (March 7, 2009)

Funding from the federal government will provide one Regina organization with enough money to deliver a program to help victims of stalking and criminal harassment.

"This gives us a little breathing room," said Shellie Pociuk, Executive Director of Family Service Regina Inc. She said Family Service Regina is "maxed out" just providing basic services to their clients.

The organization is one of three groups set to receive funds from Status of Women Canada, as announced at a press conference in Saskatoon Friday. Family Service Regina Inc. received the bulk of the funding, with $288,355 dedicated to the third phase of their Domestic Violence Stalking Project.

"Our main objective is to lessen the impact of stalking on domestic violence," Pociuk said. She said of the 2500 victims they deal with each year, close to 20 per cent have experienced severe stalking.

Part of the project will be focused on getting the justice system to respond to the early warning signs of stalking cases before they escalate, and providing advocacy for victims. "We wouldn't have been able to move forward without these funds," she said.

Tamara's House, a Saskatoon centre for sexual abuse survivors, will receive $29,678 for a project to improve services for women who experienced childhood sexual abuse, and the Saskatchewan Association of Sexual Assault Services, based in Yorkton, will receive $74,848 for a program dedicated to services for victims of sexual assault in Lloydminster, Prince Albert and Saskatoon.

The three women's organizations will receive a combined total of $392,881.

Money for the projects came from the Women's Community Fund, which falls under the Women's Program of Status of Women Canada.

The funding was announced by Lynne Yelich, MP for Blackstrap, on behalf of Helena Guergis, Minister of State on the Status of Women.