Heather was 15 years old when she was gang-raped.

For more than 30 years, she lived with the shame and anger of her trauma until she finally decided to report it to the Kelowna RCMP when she was 48 years old.

A year later, she was told by investigators that there wasn香蕉视频直播檛 enough evidence and her case was closed, leaving her with more questions than answers and a sense of betrayal by those who are supposed to serve and protect.

Her experience with the police, like so many others in Kelowna, appears to be a common story many survivors of sexual assault have encountered.

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According to Statistics Canada, nearly 40 per cent of sexual assaults reported to Kelowna RCMP were deemed 香蕉视频直播渦nfounded香蕉视频直播� in 2018.

That number is more than double the 15 per cent average across the province and dwarfs the under five per cent averages in Vancouver and Victoria.

The alarming statistic represents 35 victims in Kelowna who claimed they were sexually assaulted but were never able to find justice.

Heather is one of those victims.

香蕉视频直播淜elowna has a problem,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭here is no such thing as justice in this city for survivors and victims of sexual assault.香蕉视频直播�

Heather, whose last name the Capital News has agreed to keep anonymous, was in Grade 10 at a party with some friends on spring break when she was allegedly gang-raped.

While she香蕉视频直播檚 not sure if she was drugged, she said it was at that party in April 1986, where she was found unconscious and barricaded in a room with three of her classmates who sexually assaulted her.

香蕉视频直播淭he last thing I remember was sitting on the couch drinking,香蕉视频直播� Heather said. 香蕉视频直播淩umours are that I was drugged.香蕉视频直播�

Heather said when she woke up the next day, she was 香蕉视频直播渟ore everywhere,香蕉视频直播� and she 香蕉视频直播渏ust knew香蕉视频直播� she had been assaulted.

Upon returning to school the following Monday, she had been deemed a 香蕉视频直播渟lut香蕉视频直播� by her classmates.

It took Heather香蕉视频直播檚 friends 香蕉视频直播� whom she now refers to using air quotes 香蕉视频直播� 32 years to tell her the names of two of the alleged culprits, allowing her to file a police report with the RCMP in September 2018.

She said her 香蕉视频直播渇riends香蕉视频直播� wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 divulge the name of the third culprit.

According to Heather, the RCMP香蕉视频直播檚 initial investigation was limited to a single phone call, which was made to the wrong person with the same name as her assailant.

香蕉视频直播淗e denied knowing me. They closed the case,香蕉视频直播� said Heather, reliving the frustration she felt.

Feeling unheard, she decided to go up the chain of command.

香蕉视频直播淚 spoke with someone who knows how to fight the RCMP,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淗e did some digging and he found out that they had just randomly phoned some guy with the same name.香蕉视频直播�

After demanding a more thorough investigation, Heather said the RCMP made two additional phone calls to both of the men she accused, only for them to deny the allegations and the case to be closed in August 2019 香蕉视频直播� less than a year after it was opened.

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Adding insult to injury, to this day, Heather said she is still seen as a slut by her classmates and feels betrayed by those she called her friends and classmates.

She even wrote a letter to them explaining the pain she felt when they looked the other way the day she needed them most.

香蕉视频直播淚 did not have a good time. I did not deserve what those boys did to me, but more than that, I did not deserve what you all did to me after. I was raped and you all either covered it up or created a narrative where I was a slut and liked it,香蕉视频直播� reads an excerpt from the letter she wrote to her classmates entitled Happy 30th Reunion.

Still raw from her embittered battle with law enforcement, Heather said there were times she could香蕉视频直播檝e screamed at the officers handling her case.

香蕉视频直播淚 tried so f香蕉视频直播攌ing hard to keep it together when I reported,香蕉视频直播� she said.

At one point, during what she described as a very intimidating reporting process, Heather said she was asked whether or not she consented.

香蕉视频直播淚 was 15 and I was unconscious. How would I have consented?香蕉视频直播� She said.

香蕉视频直播淚 walked into that office and I香蕉视频直播檇 had 32 years to resolve my trauma香蕉视频直播�I can香蕉视频直播檛 imagine being a fresh survivor and having to deal with them.香蕉视频直播�

According to Heather, the RCMP is 香蕉视频直播渟teeped in rape culture香蕉视频直播� and systemic change is needed in the way sexual assault cases are handled, adding she wasn香蕉视频直播檛 surprised 40 per cent of sexual assault cases in 2018 were deemed 香蕉视频直播渦nfounded香蕉视频直播� by the RCMP in Kelowna.

香蕉视频直播淲e need proper sexual assault investigators in this city and we need cops who understand what rape culture is and how they香蕉视频直播檙e contributing to it,香蕉视频直播� said Heather.

She slammed the police force for its poor training practices and described the current situation as an 香蕉视频直播渆pidemic.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e need proper training; we need to hire better RCMP officers to begin with香蕉视频直播�they need to be empathetic and they need to care about this epidemic because it is an epidemic.香蕉视频直播�

Michelle Novakowski, executive director for the Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society, agreed that more training needs to be given to police officers handling sensitive crimes, however, she said RCMP officers are still human and fallible.

香蕉视频直播淲hile we do hold police to a higher standard, they香蕉视频直播檙e still part of our culture and there are a lot of myths around sexual assault,香蕉视频直播� she said.

She cited familiar tropes such as 香蕉视频直播渨omen ask for it香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播渟he shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have been drinking香蕉视频直播� as unfortunate myths that are still perpetuated in society that place the blame on victims instead of putting the blame on the assailants.

香蕉视频直播淭hose come out when somebody reports a sexual assault,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Novakowski said the Elizabeth Fry Society has been working with the RCMP for a couple of years on developing a trauma-informed practice, but says more work still needs to be done.

The RCMP declined an interview request, but in a statement said the investigation into Heather香蕉视频直播檚 case was concluded because the evidence did not meet the threshold to lay a charge.

That threshold, according to RCMP, is set out by the attorney general and must include the 香蕉视频直播渟ubstantial likelihood of conviction.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e the RCMP know that sexual assault is a devastating crime that has traumatic and long-lasting effects on victims,香蕉视频直播� read the statement.

香蕉视频直播淢oreover, a poor experience with police investigators can bring more trauma to victims and discourage others from reporting these crimes.

香蕉视频直播淲e are committed to strengthening police training and awareness, investigative accountability, victim support and public education and communication.香蕉视频直播�

The RCMP said it is committed to ensuring sexual assault survivors feel comfortable coming forward.

香蕉视频直播淲e want to ensure that all survivors of sexual assault feel comfortable bringing their allegations to the RCMP, receive the same standard of care regardless of jurisdiction, and trust investigators to thoroughly and professionally investigate these crimes,香蕉视频直播� said the RCMP statement.

While those words might bring comfort to some sexual assault survivors, for Heather, it香蕉视频直播檚 too little, too late.

香蕉视频直播淜elowna is an incredibly toxic city when it comes to this stuff. It hasn香蕉视频直播檛 changed since I was 15.香蕉视频直播�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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