VICTIMS DESERVE TO BE HEARD

The freedom to speak one’s mind or share one’s story stands as a pillar of a democratic society. It’s thus surprising that when that story comes from the victim of a sexual assault, critics are quick to shout it down or question a victim’s motives.

They question, “Why now?”

We say, “Why not?”

It doesn’t matter whether an incident has occurred five minutes ago or five decades ago. A complex set of circumstances exists when it comes to discussing or revealing a sexual assault and it is truly only the victim who should decide when an assault or incidence of sexual misconduct is reported.

The reasons it can take years for reporting to occur have been the subject of several studies, cited by Statistics Canada in 2017.

“Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes,” StatsCan said. “Research has attributed this to a wide range of reasons, including the shame, guilt and stigma of sexual victimization, the normalization of inappropriate or unwanted sexual behaviour, and the perception that sexual violence does not warrant reporting.”

In the same report, StatsCan noted that in a given year (2014), there were 22 incidents of sexual assault for every 1,000 Canadians aged 15 and older, representing approximately 636,000 self-reported incidents of sexual assault.

However, the federal department also says the rate of self-reported sexual assaults remained unchanged in 2014 from 2004. Some sexual assault centres add that as few as six per

Sexual assault is one of the most under-reported crimes.

cent of sexual assaults are reported, meaning the incidence of such crimes is many times higher.

It is time for that to change and the #MeToo movement has helped shine a light on that path, demonstrating there’s no shame in talking about sexual assault.

For victims, the public sharing of these encounters can occur as part of a desire to move forward, to empower oneself and to perhaps even hold someone who has wronged another accountable. The reaction they receive on social media, however, can be mixed.

One of the attractions of social media is response and reaction is swift and often sharp. For news organizations, it can be a barometer, reflecting community tastes and opinions. When the Herald published a column by writer Naomi Lakritz on Wednesday, many were quick to share their displeasure with her opinion.

The argument was spurred by the case in the United States where 53-year-old Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual misconduct.

The column put forward the position that individuals in their 50s aren’t the same people they were three or more decades earlier. Thus, actions taken by individuals at those young ages don’t necessarily reflect the type of people they’ve become as mature adults.

Some agree with this; many don’t. We are among those who do not. However, the Calgary Herald’s editorial pages reflect a variety of opinions, with the goal of stirring debate. As a newspaper, we don’t necessarily agree with all of these opinions, but it’s hoped published articles become part of a larger discussion.

We do believe in open debate, vigorous dialogue and free speech, including — of course — for those people who have been subjected to sexual assault and sexual misconduct.

Those who stand up to their abusers and those who share their stories should be applauded, not shouted down.

Their decisions to speak their truth are actions that merit consideration and respect.