Sexual assault survivor calls for accountability after police comments left her feeling ‘humiliated’

An Ontario woman who regularly shared her experiences as a sexual assault survivor at police training courses says she’s ending her relationship with the Ontario Police College and is raising concerns about what she and several experts say are harmful biases among some officers and a lack of accountability from the college.

It comes after she received anonymous comments from two officers last year that she says left her feeling "mortified" and "humiliated." 

For several years, she has volunteered her time by speaking at training organized by the college for sexual assault investigators. CBC News is protecting her identify because she is a sexual assault survivor.

Experts say the comments, which include calling her “damaged,” accusing her of being too critical of police and presuming a mental illness diagnosis, are not only hurtful but also show a concerning bias that could affect the integrity of sexual assault investigations.

The woman wants to know if those officers are working as sexual assault investigators, but more than four months after taking her concerns to the college, she still has no answers.

“I felt dismissed, I felt judged. I felt absolute anger and I wanted somebody to be accountable,” the woman said.

Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General is responsible for the Ontario Police College (OPC).

In an email to CBC News, ministry spokesperson Brent Ross said the college is “following up directly with the survivor to address the situation.”

He did not answer questions about whether the officers in question are investigating sexual assaults or how the woman's complaint has been handled so far.

In 2004, the woman reported to police that she was sexually assaulted by a priest. Police laid eight criminal charges against the accused, including sexual assault and forcible confinement, and issued a Canadawide warrant for his arrest. However, he was never tried because he had left the country. 

Two decades later, sharing her story still isn’t easy. But when she was asked to speak at an Ontario Police College (OPC) training course a few years ago, she agreed to do so with the hope that it could help give officers a better understanding about the experience of sexual assault survivors, including how difficult it can be to recount traumatic events in interviews with police. 

“I've always believed that people need to hear the voice of somebody who's been sexually assaulted because it's not the same if somebody's telling our stories,” she said. 

Since 2022, she’s travelled throughout the province, speaking 20 times as part of a 10-day specialized training course, which is mandatory for any officers who investigate sexual assaults.

During that time, she said, she consistently received positive feedback and had a good relationship with the college.