Forces wants 77 members out for sexual misconduct
Military officials say they have moved this year to force out 77 service members found guilty of sexual misconduct.
Many of the cases are older and none of the members have been released yet, as their files go through what the military says is due process.
But the figure is touted as a solid step toward defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance’s promise of eradicating sexual misconduct in the Forces.
“At the end of last year I ordered that every member of the Canadian Armed Forces who’s found guilty of sexual misconduct should receive a notice of intent to recommend their release from the Armed Forces,” Vance told reporters during a briefing.
“My orders and my expectations were clear and the consequences are also clear.”
Officials also say military police plan to review more than 150 old cases of sexual misconduct reported between 2010 and 2016 but deemed unfounded.
That includes having experts from outside the military, including social workers and others, look at the files and meet victims.
“They (will) do this to look for potential errors and bias and offer suggestions on how we can improve,” Vance said of the external review.
“This is a real step forward in openness, transparency and fairness and I take great pride it will soon be operating within our own military jurisdiction.” National Defence released the figures in an update on efforts to stamp out inappropriate sexual behaviour.
The last year between April 2016 and March 2017 saw 504 such incidents reported to military authorities.
More than half of the complaints related to jokes, sexual language or other inappropriate behaviour.
Another 74 were classified as sexual harassment and 47 were reports of sexual assault.
Vance nonetheless struck an optimistic note, saying that he believes his order to stamp out such behaviour is having an impact.
“I am confident that we’ve been moving in the right direction,” he said. “These changes I have highlighted today are positive indicators. There are many others.”
Vance took a hard line on inappropriate sexual behaviour in the Forces following a series of media reports that described the problem as chronic and endemic.
Retired Supreme Court of Canada justice Marie Deschamps, recruited to examine the extent of the problem, exposed what she called a sexualized military culture that was hostile to women and left victims of sexual misconduct to fend for themselves.