Many organizations that help sexual assault victims have seen an increase in demand for their services since the death of 17-year-old Rehteah Parsons.

Halifax’s Avalon Sexual Assault Centre even started a petition, calling on the provincial government to provide emergency funding to deal with the increase.

On Wednesday, the first day of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the government announced that help is on the way.

“That’s a nice way to kick the month off,” says Irene Smith, executive director of the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre.

Smith says the centre will receive $100,000 in one-time funding to help with the recent surge in demand for services, which she says will address staff that are not working full-time hours.

“We hope to also be able to increase the counselling team by one new staff member,” she says.

Smith hopes to hire someone to work in education and communication, particularly in prevention awareness and social media.

She says calls to the centre have recently increased by 50 per cent and requests for counselling have also doubled, as referrals come in from social workers, clinicians and other service providers.

Smith had been asking for $200,000 for the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, but the government opted to give half of the funds to the centre, and allow other groups dealing with similar spikes to apply for the other half.

“Just explaining the increased demand as a result of the tragedy, explaining what they’ve done to meet that demand, and it will be on a first-come, first-serve basis until we reach the maximum,” says Marilyn More, minister responsible for the status of women.

Smith says she realizes other organizations across the province are also struggling with increasing demands and is pleased they will also have the opportunity to receive financial aid.

But the Opposition says the government isn’t doing enough to address the issue.

“This is a government that spends millions of dollars in television advertising promoting their own election campaign, and then when sexual assault centres in this province are looking for a few hundred thousand dollars, they cut it in half,” says Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil.

“It’s very sad that it takes a tragedy to bring out emergency funding,” says Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie. “What’s important is that the government has a plan to plug all those holes and make sure our young people are protected.”

More says the funding is temporary relief while government works on long-term strategies expected to be announced later this week.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster