There has been much talk online, on the street, throughout
Canada and around the world about sexualized violence in the wake of several
high-profile incidents.
Much of this talk has focused around the hesitation of
reporting incidents of sexualized violence to police. Although we do not have
the information or jurisdiction to assist in a criminal investigation into
these specific allegations, we want to assure you, we are hearing these
powerful conversations. These matters are often complex and may involve several
factors beyond the scope of policing, but we have one simple message to ANYONE
who has been a victim of intimate partner or sexualized violence:
We Believe You.
We believe you because we know that it has taken an immense
amount of courage for you to come forward. We understand that there are things
far beyond a policing scope that concern you. We also understand that this is
likely one of the most difficult times of your life and that this is not an
easy decision.
We believe you because we know sexualized violence is
unbelievably underreported. We know that the amount of people who come
forward are only a small fraction of the larger population that has experienced
sexualized or domestic violence. We know that these cases are even further
underreported in the LBGQT communities and we know that coming forward is
difficult.
We believe you and you have a say in the direction of sexually
violent investigations. We work closely with everyone who has been victimized
by sexualized violence to create a safe space. We work hand-in-hand with
teams of professionals who are there to help. From the Victoria Sexual Assault
Centre to the caring and professional staff at the Island Health Authority, our
focus is on your safety and care.
We believe you, and, with our partners, are there to support
you because the journey will not be easy. Your participation in interviews,
collecting evidence, forwarding charges and possibly testifying will be
challenging. We are here. Our support does not end at the conclusion of the
investigation. We will be there for the whole process, and our partners at the
Victoria Sexual Assault Centre will be there as well if you wish.
We believe you and even if we can’t gather enough evidence
for charge approval, we believe you. The bar is set high for both charge
approval and for conviction and rightfully so, but know that we believe you. Even
if the charge is not approved, we will have the information and evidence lodged
here and this may assist in future investigations.
We are a team of 243 sworn and 108 professional support
staff who are here for you. We also have a team of dedicated
investigators in our Special Victims Unit and encourage you to reach out and
speak with us.
We believe you.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexualized
or domestic violence, please contact us. Call our investigators through the
VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654. If, for any reason, you believe your
complaint is not being addressed, contact the Sergeant in charge of VicPD’s
Special Victims unit directly through the non-emergency line of 250-995-7654.
Please also know that the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre is
here to help as well. They can be reached, 24-hours, at 250-383-3232. In cases
of spousal assault, the Spousal Assault Victim Services can be reached at
250-356-1201 or other resources at domesticviolencebc.ca or 1-800-563-0808.
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Sgt. Kristi Ross, Sergeant in charge of VicPD's Special Victims Unit was the guest of Gregor Cragie on CBC's 'On the Island' today. You can listen to her full interview here: