More than a month after 91大黄鸭 RCMP announced the completion of its internal review about the high number of sexual assaults that were deemed 鈥渦nfounded鈥� 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 91大黄鸭 and the local detachment came under fire in October 2019 after 91大黄鸭 Capital News revealed nearly 40 per cent of sexual assaults reported to police were deemed 鈥渦nfounded.鈥�
Subsequently, the RCMP launched an internal investigation into those numbers, the results of which are now in the hands of 91大黄鸭 Mounties.
鈥淲e have completed the review and are going through the results,鈥� wrote RCMP Cst. Solana Pare in a Jan. 23 release. 鈥淲hen we have a full understanding of the results, we will provide an update which should be within the next few weeks.鈥�
Those few weeks have now passed and 91大黄鸭鈥檚 sexual assault survivors and allies are left waiting for answers.
鈥淚鈥檓 embarrassed that this is what our city has become,鈥� said survivor Heather Friesen after her demonstration in council chambers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been over a month and we haven鈥檛 heard a word. Why? Because they have to put their spin on it.
鈥淚 want answers; I鈥檓 tired of waiting. Why (isn鈥檛 city council) asking for it? Why aren鈥檛 they protecting the citizens of 91大黄鸭? Why aren鈥檛 they asking for answers for the city of 91大黄鸭? Their silence is rape culture.鈥�
Following the council meeting, Mayor Colin Basran confirmed he will request the report from the RCMP but until it is released there鈥檚 nothing he can say on the matter.
鈥淯ntil we know the findings of the report, and until I see it, there isn鈥檛 really anything to talk about,鈥� he said.
鈥淲ould 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.鈥�
The mayor said that a sexual assault unit within the 91大黄鸭 RCMP, as Friesen has been petitioning for, is a possibility if it鈥檚 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.
鈥淭hat is completely false. The last time she requested a meeting, she was yelling at me at a public meeting at UBCO,鈥� said Basran.
91大黄鸭 Capital News鈥� requests for comment from the RCMP were not returned.
READ MORE: 鈥楶lease be quiet,鈥� 91大黄鸭 Mayor tells sexual assault survivor protesting in council chambers
READ MORE: 91大黄鸭 RCMP completes internal review of sexual assault cases deemed 鈥榰nfounded鈥�
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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