Survey of Sexual Assaults Survivors
5. OVERVIEW OF THE WOMEN’S CASES
Recent research findings indicate that most sexual assaults are not reported to the police. For example, Statistics Canada’s most recent victimisation surveys (in 1993 and 1988) showed that 90% of sexual assault cases went unreported.[6]
Figure 5.1 provides an overview of the survey respondents’ relative involvement in the criminal justice system and the eventual outcome of their cases. It indicates that the level of reporting by the survey respondents was much higher than those found in the above-noted victimisation surveys. This difference in reporting may be due to the fact that the women who agreed to participate in the study had benefited from information and support provided by sexual assault centre staff and other survivors. The information and support provided to the women may have served to equip them with the knowledge and validation necessary to report sexual assault to the police.
In addition, Figure 5.1 clearly shows the attrition of cases through the system.
FIGURE 5.1 - JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT WITH ALL CASES [7]
Close to 90% (87 out of 102) of the survey respondents indicated that they had considered reporting their abuse experience(s). The abuse was brought to the attention of the police in almost 75% of these cases (64 reported cases). In most of those cases (56), the women reported the abuse themselves; in the others (8), it was reported by a third party, sometimes without the woman’s knowledge or consent.
Over two thirds (43 out of 64) of the women who reported their abuse indicated that the police arrested or at least questioned the alleged abuser, most often on the same day or within a week of the report. In 19 reported cases, the abuser was not arrested or questioned by the police. The interviewers asked the survivors in these cases why their abuser had not been “picked up” by the police. Of the 18 women who responded, over half (10) said that they did not know. Four women indicated that their complaint was deemed unfounded by the police. Four others said that their abuser was not located. Close to two thirds of the women (39 out of 64) indicated that a charge was laid.
Of the 30 court cases that were completed at the time of the survey, over half (18) resulted in a conviction. Of the remaining cases, 8 resulted in the accused being acquitted and 4 in the charges being withdrawn.
Cases of child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault were compared to identify any differences in the extent of reporting and convictions between the two. Although Figures 5.2 and 5.3 reveal similar patterns, the number of convictions for child sexual abuse is slightly higher, despite less reporting.
FIGURE 5.2 - JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT WITH CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CASES
FIGURE 5.3 - JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT WITH ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
In the 39 cases in which the police laid charges, the women were asked whether or not they had been kept informed of the developments in their case. As shown in Table 5.1, over half (21) indicated that they had been kept informed while over a third (14) responded that they had had to seek out the information themselves. Only four women reported that they had received no information on the progress of their case.
| INFORMATION PROVIDED | NUMBER |
|---|---|
| Victim kept informed | 21 |
| Victim called for information | 14 |
| No | 4 |
| Total | 39 |
The 35 survivors who had received information on the progress of their case were asked about the source of information. Some of the 31 women who responded to this question mentioned more than one source, for a total of 43 responses. As shown in Table 5.2, the investigating police officer was named in close to half of the responses (20), followed by Crown attorneys (9) and victims’ services staff (8).
| INFORMATION PROVIDER | NUMBER |
|---|---|
| Investigating police officer | 20 |
| Crown attorney | 9 |
| Victim’s services | 8 |
| Sexual assault centre/shelter | 5 |
| Other | 1 |
| Total | 43 |
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