RCMP looks to expand third-party reporting for sexual assault cases

The RCMP is exploring ways to expand a program that allows victims to report allegations of sexual assault — and get the help they need — without actually having to go to the police and face their fear of not being believed.

“The RCMP is in the preliminary stages of looking into how third party reporting could be implemented in the wide variety of RCMP-policed environments, where it doesn’t currently exist,” Staff Sgt. Tania Vaughan, a spokeswoman for the federal police force, told The Canadian Press in an email.

“The RCMP is committed to working with interested jurisdictions and communities to explore expanding third party reporting,” she added, repeating a message that Kevin Brosseau, the deputy commissioner of the RCMP, told a gathering of ministers responsible for that status of women last week.

The program, which already exists in British Columbia and Yukon, allows victims of sexual assault to report the details to a community-based organization, which then shares the information anonymously with police.

“It was part of the conversation around more responsive legal and justice systems for survivors of sexual assault,” Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef said in an interview.

“The purpose of the conversation ultimately was to address the stigma, but also address the barriers that prevent survivors from coming forward, from reporting and from seeking support,” said Monsef, who met with her provincial and territorial colleagues in Toronto last week.