Heather Friesen has never been one to keep quiet.

Now, with her story and message being broadcast nationwide over various mediums, she is louder than ever.

But despite all of the noise shesa国际传媒檚 making, she still feels unheard.

As first reported in the sa国际传媒 on Oct. 25, Statistics Canada data shows the Kelowna RCMP deemed almost 40 per cent of sexual assault reports as sa国际传媒渦nfoundedsa国际传媒� in 2018.

Since then, Friesen, who was allegedly gang raped when she was 15 years old, has been on a warpath, saying that both the Kelowna RCMP and the City of Kelowna are sa国际传媒渟teeped in rape culture.sa国际传媒�

In an endeavour to bring the breadth of her disdain to the attention of city officials sa国际传媒� specifically Mayor Colin Basran sa国际传媒� she staged her own one-person protest in front of city hall on Thursday morning (Nov. 14). She spent the morning leaving flyers on vehicles around city hall which called out the mayor for being a sa国际传媒渕an who protects rapists because he wonsa国际传媒檛 call out the RCMP.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: Kelowna RCMP vow to review sa国际传媒榰nfoundedsa国际传媒� sexual assault cases

READ MORE: sa国际传媒楽teeped in rape culturesa国际传媒�: Sexual assault survivor speaks out against Kelowna RCMP

In particular, Friesen has taken issue with the mayorsa国际传媒檚 response to the statistics, in which he cited his confidence in the local RCMP.

sa国际传媒淚 donsa国际传媒檛 have anything further to add except that Isa国际传媒檓 pleased that the RCMPsa国际传媒檚 Sexual Assault Review Team is taking a further look at all the files to determine if a course correction is needed as it relates to sex-assault complaints,sa国际传媒� said Mayor Colin Basran.

sa国际传媒淭hrough these actions, I have complete confidence our detachment is taking this matter seriously. I want to be clear that the RCMP operates independently of the city and this is an RCMP matter. Any further questions should be directed to the RCMP detachment.sa国际传媒�

The mayorsa国际传媒檚 confidence in local RCMP is, in Friesensa国际传媒檚 view, a sign of the mayorsa国际传媒檚 direct support for the officers who asked her if she consented to be raped and another survivor who was asked if she enjoyed it.

sa国际传媒淪ay that to our faces,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 just here to protest because I actually want Colin Basran to have the courage to come say to my face that hesa国际传媒檚 100 per cent confident in the RCMP. Say that to the 40 per cent.sa国际传媒�

According to Friesen, Basran is complicit in the citysa国际传媒檚 looming rape culture because he doesnsa国际传媒檛 understand it as he is in a position of privilege.

sa国际传媒淎nyone that he knows who gets raped, the RCMP will take it seriously,sa国际传媒� she said while standing outside of city hall, still holding about half of the 200 flyers shesa国际传媒檇 brought with her.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 protected; the people he loves are protected. Those of us who donsa国际传媒檛 have his privilege wonsa国际传媒檛 get taken seriously.

sa国际传媒淗e doesnsa国际传媒檛 want to get it because hesa国际传媒檒l lose votes; hesa国际传媒檒l lose (the RCMPsa国际传媒檚) votes.sa国际传媒�

While Basran has expressed his confidence in the RCMP, one of his councillors is less supportive about the situation.

sa国际传媒淚 have a lot of regard and faith in our local RCMP. Having said that, the stats are very, very worrisome sa国际传媒� whichever way you look at it,sa国际传媒� said Coun. Mohini Singh.

sa国际传媒淚 need some clarity, I need some explanation, I need to know why these cases were left unfounded.sa国际传媒�

Singh added she has a teenage daughter and she wants to make sure the city is safe for our girls and our boys.

sa国际传媒淚 want to know why the stats are so high and what the cause is,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 very worried about the situation.sa国际传媒�

Singh said shesa国际传媒檚 looking forward to a report from the RCMPsa国际传媒檚 Sexual Assault Review Team to provide clarity on the issue.

In a Nov. 8 statement, the Kelowna RCMP said it could not provide an explanation as to why so many cases were deemed unfounded.

sa国际传媒淲e understand that there are many questions about the roots of these statistics, and wesa国际传媒檙e taking immediate steps to get answers,sa国际传媒� said Cpl. Meghan Foster.

sa国际传媒淭he BC RCMP has conducted a preliminary review of these files, but we are currently not in a position to provide specific examples of why any of these investigations were deemed unfounded. For every investigation, there are many variables sa国际传媒� each investigation is different and we do not want to deter any other survivors from bravely coming forward to report a sexual assault.sa国际传媒�

The RCMP has not given a timeline as to when the Sexual Assault Review Teamsa国际传媒檚 investigation will be completed.

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .