Civilian panel should help police investigate sexual assault, advocates say

An advocate for sexual assault victims believes police officers should inviteoutside experts to audit theirinvestigations.

Sunny Marriner, the executive director of the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre, is leading a pilot project in Ontario that has expanded to nine Canadian cities but none in Manitoba.

She says police agencies should unite with sexual assault centres to ensure their investigations are conducted fairly.

Organizations such as hers are"talking to the survivors who report, but they are also talking to the 95 per cent of survivors in that community who do not report," Marrinersaid. "There's a huge well of knowledge that thisgroup of people have in sexual violence."

MarrinerspokeFriday morning to a national conference of police in Winnipegon the high number of sexual assaults reports that police dismissas baseless.

High number of 'unfounded' claims

A 20-month investigation by the Globe and Mail published last year found that one in five sexual assault claims are considered "unfounded," which meansinvestigators ruled a crime either never occurred or was never attempted.

They found the national unfounded rate of 19.39 per cent for sexual assaultis disproportionately higher than any other type of crime.

In response, police agenciesacross the country, including forces inOttawa, Calgaryand London, Ont.,are working with a civilian panel to improve their investigative process. It isreferred to as the "Philadelphia model."

In Winnipeg,two per cent of complaints are considered unfounded, the Globe and Mail investigation found.

Marrinersaid survivors of sexual violence sometimes worrythey won't be believed.

That's a massive, massive barrier to survivors.-SunnyMarriner, executive director of the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre

"Itexists in terms of reporting to police, but it also exists in the community andwith family members andwith friends and other peoplein their lives," she said Friday duringthe Canadian Association of Police Governance conference. "That's a massive, massive barrier to survivors."

Under the Philadelphia model, policefiles are shared with outside agenciesto determine whether there were any missteps in the investigative process, and alert investigators to anyworrying trends.

It was first used in the U.S. in 2000 after a newspaperinvestigation revealed thedisproportionatelyhigh number of sexual assault complaints considered to be unfounded in Philadelphia, Pa.

The review turned up incomplete paperwork, missing records, allegations of victim-blaming and witnesses who should have been questioned but weren't.

None of Manitoba's police agencies have inquired about adopting thepilot,Marrinersays.

Holly Johnson, a retired criminology professor at the University of Ottawa, led a research studythat asked women about their interactions with police when reporting crimes of violence, which included positive and negative experiences.

She isn't surprised that sexual assault victims arehesitant to share their stories with police.

"I think there isdeep-seated beliefin our society that women lie about sexual violence, and they consented and that they've changed their mind afterwards," Johnson said. "It's not surprising to me that it's also embedded in police culture as well as in the courts."

Brandon Mayor Rick Chrestbelieves the Philadelphia model is worthconsidering.The city's police service had an 18 per cent unfounded rate,the Globe and Mail investigation found.

"I was certainly taking notes," Chrestsaid, adding it would require support from the Brandon Police Board.

Winnipeg police satisfied

The Winnipeg Police Service believes it has the right systems in place, since its unfounded rate is significantly lower at two per cent.

"We will always strive for improvement but with our present model, we are very proud the work WPS does in investigating sexual assault cases," a police statement read.

The RCMPpledged last year to re-examine every sexual assault case since 2015where no charges were laid. A response for comment was not immediately returned.

Anna Pazdzierski, who ran theNova House women's shelter in Selkirk until her retirement this year, says victim advocates would be happy to help police.

"Women are much more able andwilling to talk with peoplethey have relationships with."