Calls to the Niagara Sexual Assault Centre's crisis and support line have more than doubled.
Representatives say a total of 730 calls were made between April 2020 and March 2021 compared to 337 the year before.
The Centre had 170 new requests for counselling over the past fiscal year alone.
The agency's therapists are still offering counselling over the phone and through Zoom, with appointments at the office resuming last August.
But some survivors are still facing barriers preventing them from accessing help, such as a lack of private internet or phone connection or a fear of going out during the pandemic.
Therapist Reema Shah suggested survivors try to have compassion for themselves and focus on what they can do, not on what they can't.
The Niagara Falls outreach site is open for in-person appointments, while clients from the Welland, Fort Erie and Port Colborne sites are being seen at the St. Catharines office or online.
May is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
To book a counselling appointment, call 905 682-7258. Therapy is free and confidential and open to all genders ages 16 and up.