More than a month after Ā鶹¾«Ń” RCMP announced the completion of its internal review about the high number of sexual assaults that were deemed āunfoundedā in 2018 and 2019, an update has yet to be given.
Now, following a brief protest in council chambers on Monday, the mayor said he will request the report himself.
The City of Ā鶹¾«Ń” and the local detachment came under fire in October 2019 after Ā鶹¾«Ń” revealed nearly 40 per cent of sexual assaults reported to police were deemed āunfounded.ā
Subsequently, the RCMP launched an internal investigation into those numbers, the results of which are now in the hands of Ā鶹¾«Ń” Mounties.
āWe have completed the review and are going through the results,ā wrote RCMP Cst. Solana Pare in a Jan. 23 release. āWhen we have a full understanding of the results, we will provide an update which should be within the next few weeks.ā
Those few weeks have now passed and Ā鶹¾«Ń”ās sexual assault survivors and allies are left waiting for answers.
āIām embarrassed that this is what our city has become,ā said survivor Heather Friesen after her demonstration in council chambers.
āItās been over a month and we havenāt heard a word. Why? Because they have to put their spin on it.
āI want answers; Iām tired of waiting. Why (isnāt city council) asking for it? Why arenāt they protecting the citizens of Ā鶹¾«Ń”? Why arenāt they asking for answers for the city of Ā鶹¾«Ń”? Their silence is rape culture.ā
Following the council meeting, Mayor Colin Basran confirmed he will request the report from the RCMP but until it is released thereās nothing he can say on the matter.
āUntil we know the findings of the report, and until I see it, there isnāt really anything to talk about,ā he said.
āWould I like to know the findings of that report? I would. And would I be willing to request the results of that? Yes, I would.ā
The mayor said that a sexual assault unit within the Ā鶹¾«Ń” RCMP, as Friesen has been petitioning for, is a possibility if itās recommended by the report.
Friesen said the mayor has ignored numerous requests for a one-on-one meeting. Basran denied the accusation and said he would gladly meet with her.
āThat is completely false. The last time she requested a meeting, she was yelling at me at a public meeting at UBCO,ā said Basran.
Ā鶹¾«Ń”ā requests for comment from the RCMP were not returned.
READ MORE: āPlease be quiet,ā Ā鶹¾«Ń” Mayor tells sexual assault survivor protesting in council chambers
READ MORE: Ā鶹¾«Ń” RCMP completes internal review of sexual assault cases deemed āunfoundedā
@michaelrdrguez
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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