Forces failing to support sexual misconduct victims
The federal auditor general has warned the Canadian Forces that it has failed to properly support victims of sexual misconduct, undercutting attempts to eradicate such behaviour in the ranks.
In a frank assessment released Tuesday, Michael Ferguson also blasted what he said were long delays in resolving cases of sexual misconduct and the poor level of training for service members on the issue.
Eradicating sexual misconduct has been a top priority for military commanders since a series of devastating reports several years ago uncovered a highly sexualized culture where misbehaviour was ignored or hidden.
Awareness has certainly increased in recent years, the auditor’s report said even as it
underscored the importance of dealing with the problem for military’s overall effectiveness.
But the report also found that many victims are not being properly supported when they do speak up because of gaps in the services available.
There was also a lack of specialized training for chaplains and military health professionals to support victims.
The auditor general also took aim at military regulations that compel victims to report inappropriate or criminal behaviour, which then launches a formal complaint process —whether the service member wants it or not.
In some cases, victims were found to have been pressured by their commanders into filing a formal complaint.
“This discouraged some victims from disclosing for fear of being forced into a formal complaint process, which contributed to underreporting,” the report reads.
In the context of this socalled “duty to report,” the report added, “it is even more important that victims who come forward are adequately supported, since they do not all report willingly.”
One of the main concerns identified by the auditor general during a review of several dozen criminal and non-criminal cases of inappropriate sexual behaviour was the length of time it takes for cases to be resolved.