More than a month after Kelowna RCMP announced the completion of its internal review about the high number of sexual assaults that were deemed sa国际传媒渦nfoundedsa国际传媒� in 2018 and 2019, an update has yet to be given.
Now, following a brief protest in council chambers on Monday, the mayor said he will request the report himself.
The City of Kelowna and the local detachment came under fire in October 2019 after sa国际传媒 revealed nearly 40 per cent of sexual assaults reported to police were deemed sa国际传媒渦nfounded.sa国际传媒�
Subsequently, the RCMP launched an internal investigation into those numbers, the results of which are now in the hands of Kelowna Mounties.
sa国际传媒淲e have completed the review and are going through the results,sa国际传媒� wrote RCMP Cst. Solana Pare in a Jan. 23 release. sa国际传媒淲hen we have a full understanding of the results, we will provide an update which should be within the next few weeks.sa国际传媒�
Those few weeks have now passed and Kelownasa国际传媒檚 sexual assault survivors and allies are left waiting for answers.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 embarrassed that this is what our city has become,sa国际传媒� said survivor Heather Friesen after her demonstration in council chambers.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 been over a month and we havensa国际传媒檛 heard a word. Why? Because they have to put their spin on it.
sa国际传媒淚 want answers; Isa国际传媒檓 tired of waiting. Why (isnsa国际传媒檛 city council) asking for it? Why arensa国际传媒檛 they protecting the citizens of Kelowna? Why arensa国际传媒檛 they asking for answers for the city of Kelowna? Their silence is rape culture.sa国际传媒�
Following the council meeting, Mayor Colin Basran confirmed he will request the report from the RCMP but until it is released theresa国际传媒檚 nothing he can say on the matter.
sa国际传媒淯ntil we know the findings of the report, and until I see it, there isnsa国际传媒檛 really anything to talk about,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淲ould I like to know the findings of that report? I would. And would I be willing to request the results of that? Yes, I would.sa国际传媒�
The mayor said that a sexual assault unit within the Kelowna RCMP, as Friesen has been petitioning for, is a possibility if itsa国际传媒檚 recommended by the report.
Friesen said the mayor has ignored numerous requests for a one-on-one meeting. Basran denied the accusation and said he would gladly meet with her.
sa国际传媒淭hat is completely false. The last time she requested a meeting, she was yelling at me at a public meeting at UBCO,sa国际传媒� said Basran.
sa国际传媒sa国际传媒� requests for comment from the RCMP were not returned.
READ MORE: Kelowna RCMP completes internal review of sexual assault cases deemed sa国际传媒榰nfoundedsa国际传媒�
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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