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The rooms are empty save for a few tables and chairs. The walls are patched and waiting for a fresh coat of paint. But soon, Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre’s new space in Selkirk, Man., will welcome clients from the area for support and healing.
“With renovations beginning soon, we plan to be open summer 2026,” co-executive director Gillian Schofield told Global News.
The office in Selkirk’s core features rooms for counselling appointments and will have resources available for the community. The new space will allow Survivor’s Hope to increase the number of staff and reach more survivors of sexual violence in the Interlake.
“There still absolutely isn’t a lot of resources in rural areas,” co-executive director Coral Kendel said.
“We know that there is an impact to someone having to leave their home community to seek services — even in Winnipeg — whether that’s medical services, or whether that’s to access the court’s offices.”
Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre has operated out of Pinawa, Man., since 2003. Staff travel across the Interlake to deliver educational workshops, provide counselling and support survivors when they present at hospitals and RCMP detachments.
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Amber Dreger began volunteering with the Centre’s Sexual Assault Recovery and Healing (SARAH) program last year, driving to hospitals in the west Interlake area to meet survivors and advocate on their behalf.
“I let them know that they can tell me as little or as much about why they’re there or what happened,” she said. “Most people just want someone there with them.”
“I say, ‘Look, if you are scared to ask for XYZ, let me do that. Let me take the brunt. I am happy to go and get you another blanket or a glass of water or ask how long this is going to take, or what’s the plan after.’”
SARAH and Sexual Assault Discussion Initiative (SADI) co-ordinator Natasha van Dorp leads workshops on consent, mental health and healthy relationships in Interlake schools.
“It’s just so fantastic to watch them use what they’ve been taught and be able to openly talk about their feelings and what they need,” she said.
“We are getting our voice out there and we’re talking more about these things that have been kind of in the shadows for so long.”
Once someone connects with Survivor’s Hope, they can receive short-term counselling.
“Right away, we want to fix, but sometimes it’s just having that five minutes and listening to somebody tell you and going, ‘Oh, OK, I believe you. You’re not alone in this,’” Survivor’s Hope short-term counsellor Chantal Shibata said.
Manitoba RCMP responded to 814 reports of sexual assault in 2023, and 816 in both 2024 and 2025. According to Statistics Canada, only six per cent of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement.
Survivor’s Hope responded to 51 calls in 2024 and 259 calls in 2025, an increase Kendel attributes in part to more awareness of the available resources.
“A big part of our job is wanting to work ourselves out of a job,” she said. “We hope that one day jobs like ours are no longer necessary, but in the meantime, the prevention work is such a key part of our work.”
“That’s the ultimate goal, right, is prevention and reduction of future harms,” Schofield said.
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