Domestic violence rates are climbing to dangerous new heights as the coronavirus pandemic wears on, and the Saskatchewan shelters offering victims refuge have had to slash spaces to comply with safe distancing protocols.
While the 15 emergency shelters across the province are all different in setup and layout, the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services (PATHS) estimates they’re operating at between 50 and 75 per cent capacity.
The organization’s director of research and communication, Crystal Giesbrecht, said not as many people were showing up when the novel coronavirus first arrived in the province, but eight months in, that’s changed.