Sarah Andersen, Big Country Victim Services
For anyone local who has suffered the trauma of sexual assault, Big Country Victim Services is an important local resource. Big County Victim Services is often the first contact to help support people in their start with dealing with the trauma.
Big Country Victim Services Assistant Coordinator Sarah Andersen encourages anyone who has suffered sexual assault to reach out for help.
“Seek medical attention, if it’s needed. To report it to the police. If they’re scared about reporting it to the police, Victim Services can come with them or talk with them prior to reporting.”
Andersen said Big Country Victim Services doesn’t need a direct referral from local RCMP to assist somebody, although sexual assault victims can choose to have contact with Victim Services when they’ve reported an assault to local RCMP.
However, many people who suffer a sexual assault don’t report it to the police.
“I’m not sure what the exact percentage is. I think it’s low, as a result of fear, especially in rural areas and smaller communities. People are scared maybe the supports aren’t going to be there, or that this person, whoever sexually assaulted them, is going to come back again. Fear of safety. Fear of backlash, maybe a little bit.”
Andersen said the best way to support someone you care about who has been through the trauma of a sexual assault is to be there.
“Listen to them. Try to encourage them to report it or to get help.” Victim Services is able to refer clients out to services they may need, such as counselling or a shelter.
As for the stance that some people take of blaming the person that’s been the victim of sexual assault, Andersen agrees the person’s fear they may be in a similar situation and not come out of it may be a factor, perhaps along with lack of understanding of being in that situation.
She notes there’s now more opportunity for people to publicize their opinions, such as social media, and there’s not a lot of negative feedback on how they publish or publicize their opinions. “There’s a difference when it comes to posting it on a computer than saying it in real life.”
“In all sexual assault related crimes, we recommend the victim, or someone, to call 9-1-1 as soon as possible, for different reasons,” Sergeant Josée Valiquette, RCMP K Division (Alberta) spokesperson, “and the first reason is to bring assistance to the person that’s been the victim of this crime.”
The Sergeant said the RCMP needs to collect any physical evidence related to the crime, the sooner the better. However, even if there’s been a long duration since the sexual assault occurred, Valiquette urges crime victims to call the RCMP.
“If it happened some time ago, they should call us, regardless. They’ll call us and we’ll investigate, even if it was years ago.”
She reiterated that the RCMPs first concern is in assisting the sexual assault victim.
Sergeant Valiquette provided The Mail with sexual assault figures reported from the RCMP detachments in Drumheller, Hanna, Stettler, and Strathmore. To gather the information, the RCMP looked at seven categories for this reporting purpose, including aggravated sexual assault with a firearm, aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, threats to a third party with sexual assault.
“So in all these numbers I see, I see a reduction. There could be many different factors involved in the drop, said the Sergeant.
“That’s one of the things with statistics, we have to be really careful. For example, you could see a crime rate go up five per cent, but maybe the population went up thirty per cent.”
She said other factors could include a drop in population, and the shifting age of the population. To put the numbers in perspective would require to show trends compared to the population.
Sergeant Valiquette did say the numbers for the detachments in this report were lower compared to most of Alberta according to the 2011 Canada Census.
