Four women headed a panel to talk about how the police force can better serve sexual assault survivors, especially those who choose to report it, on Jan. 22.
The panel was headed by the Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry and UBCO and included panelists from different sectors of society who were brought together by their advocacy to support sexual assault survivors.
The event was organized after sa国际传媒 revealed last year that 40 per cent of sexual assault cases were deemed sa国际传媒渦nfoundedsa国际传媒� in 2018, which is more than double the provincial average.
Unfounded cases mean police didnsa国际传媒檛 find evidence that the crime was attempted or that it occurred at all.
READ MORE: Kelowna RCMP completes internal review of sexual assault cases deemed sa国际传媒渦nfoundedsa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
The focal point of the panel discussion was to answer two main questions:
- Why are sexual assault cases being deemed unfounded at differential rates compared to other assault cases like physical assault?
- What are the individual and structural changes that need to happen in the system?
Buffy Mills, one of the panelists, said when the alarmingly high statistic first became public, she felt sick and disgusted.
sa国际传媒淚 cansa国际传媒檛 help but feel for the victims whosa国际传媒檝e experienced sexual assault. For someone to dismiss them altogether, like they donsa国际传媒檛 matter,sa国际传媒� Mills said.
sa国际传媒淭hey were going to a detachment, talking to a police officer looking for help and theysa国际传媒檙e dismissed sa国际传媒� I have no other words but it makes me sick to my stomach knowing there are women out there sa国际传媒� being told theysa国际传媒檙e irrelevant.sa国际传媒�
READ MORE: sa国际传媒楽teeped in rape culturesa国际传媒�: Sexual assault survivor speaks out against Kelowna RCMP
Panelist Elaine Alec said she wasnsa国际传媒檛 surprised by the numbers, but having to build safe spaces now will be a long road.
sa国际传媒淚 think what it really breaks down to is being able to show each other vulnerability,sa国际传媒� she said.
She added that supporting those whosa国际传媒檝e gone through trauma means trying to understand them.
sa国际传媒淚f you donsa国际传媒檛 understand trauma and understand what itsa国际传媒檚 like to go through that, itsa国际传媒檚 really hard to support people. I donsa国际传媒檛 think enough people in our society overall understand how to respond when someone discloses sa国际传媒� I know that theresa国际传媒檚 so much training that needs to happen with the RCMP because 40 per cent unfounded is basically saying 40 per cent we donsa国际传媒檛 believe you.sa国际传媒�
The panelists agreed that the most important thing that must happen is to train officers to handle and understand how trauma works, and to ask questions with compassion, especially in sexual violence cases.
The RCMP recently said it has completed its internal review of the high number of sexual assaults that were deemed sa国际传媒渦nfoundedsa国际传媒� by police in 2018 and 2019, however, the results will not be made public for several more weeks.
READ MORE: Kelowna fundraiser raises awareness about Sexual Assault Awareness Month
