Several sexual assault survivors and their allies took to the sidewalk out front of the Kelowna RCMP detachment on Saturday to voice their concerns surrounding Kelownasa国际传媒檚 high number of unfounded sexual assault reports.
As first reported in the sa国际传媒 on Oct. 25, Statistics Canada data shows the Kelowna RCMP classified almost 40 per cent of sexual assault reports as unfounded in 2018. That number is more than double the 15 per cent average across the province and dwarfs the under five per cent averages in Vancouver and Victoria.
The protest, organized by two local rape survivors who had their reports deemed as such, Heather Friesen and Aden Withers, called for better officers, training and an external investigation of the Kelowna RCMP. Currently, the RCMPsa国际传媒檚 Sexual Assault Review Team is in the midst of reviewing the numbers.
sa国际传媒淭he RCMP can not investigate itself,sa国际传媒� said Friesen.
READ MORE: Protest planned against Kelowna RCMPsa国际传媒檚 high unfounded sexual assault numbers
READ MORE: Kelowna mayor apologizes for initial reaction to sexual assault statistics
Donning signs reading, sa国际传媒渞ape culture lives heresa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒淩CMP serves and protects rapists,sa国际传媒� among several others, the protesters chanted at Kelowna RCMP building. sa国际传媒淲e represent the 40 per cent, we represent the 40 per cent!sa国际传媒� the group of around 25 shouted towards the detachment.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e here protesting the rape culture within the Kelowna RCMP,sa国际传媒� said Friesen, who was allegedly gang-raped when she was 15.
sa国际传媒淚 have had multiple women come up to me and tell me that the RCMP arensa国际传媒檛 even willing to take their statements. The 40 per cent unfounded isnsa国际传媒檛 a true representation of whatsa国际传媒檚 going on. So, I donsa国际传媒檛 believe 40 per cent is true sa国际传媒� I believe itsa国际传媒檚 higher.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e not here about me being raped; wesa国际传媒檙e not here about any of these women being raped. Wesa国际传媒檙e here about the RCMP not doing their jobs.sa国际传媒�
Withers came to the protest with a red handprint painted on her face, representing missing and murdered indigenous women, a group which she said is heavily intertwined with and targeted by rape culture.
sa国际传媒淚 was targeted because I was part of the Aboriginal ministry,sa国际传媒� she said.
sa国际传媒淏eing targeted even with the white-passing privilege that I have opened my eyes to how Indigenous people of Canada are truly treated and itsa国际传媒檚 disgusting.sa国际传媒�
During the rally, Withers spoke of her experience reporting to RCMP, citing the brutal and victimizing questioning she endured, in which she was asked if she was sa国际传媒渢urned onsa国际传媒� while she was raped.
Friesen, who has been very vocal since the numbers were released, taking on the RCMP and even the mayor, said she holds no shame regarding what happened to her.
sa国际传媒淢y rapists hold all the shame, my friends hold all the shame, the RCMP hold all the shame,sa国际传媒� she said.
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.
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