Region’s reported sexual assaults near average

Chief Larkin believes higher number shows trust in police

WATERLOO REGION — A Statistics Canada study on sexual assaults reported by police shows Waterloo Regional Police were just under the average when it came to the number of sexual assaults reported to them last year.

The provincial average was 53 per 100,000 people.

Locally, the number was 51 per 100,000 in 2016.

In previous years, the local number was above the provincial rate.

Between 2009 and 2014, the average for sexual assault reporting in Waterloo Region was 62 incidents per 100,000 people.

Police Chief Bryan Larkin said a higher number of reported sexual assaults shows women are reporting these crimes to police.

“Higher numbers are gold because the message is people feel comfortable to come forward,” he said after a police board meeting on Wednesday.

Other cities above the provincial average included Hamilton, Windsor, Sudbury and Toronto.

However, when it came to clearance rates, Waterloo Regional Police dropped below the provincial average of 56 per cent with a rate of 33 per cent.

“It’s not acceptable,” said Larkin.

“We take these matters very seriously. We are not perfect and we can do better.”

The study shows that about one in 10 of sexual assaults reported to and substantiated by police in Canada result in a criminal conviction.

Larkin also suggested better training is needed for judges and prosecutors.

“We can’t be complacent. We have to acknowledge that we have challenges. We have to acknowledge that we have to change the way we do business,” he said.

Larkin said police administration is focused on the task force made up of community members examining unfounded sexual assaults.

The chief created the task force and the group held its first meeting in April.

Larkin said the group is looking at third-party reporting in which sexual assault centres review unfounded cases and trauma-based interviewing.

The task force was created after a Globe and Mail investigation last year found that police dismiss one out of every five sex assault claims as unfounded and no charges are laid.

Locally, the unfounded rate was 27 per cent from 2010 to 2014.

Other police services of similar size had comparable rates, such as Hamilton and London at 30 per cent, York Region at 31 per cent and Peel Region at 25 per cent.

The provincial government asked every Ontario police service to look at their unfounded sex assault cases.