Canadian Military members who report sexual misconduct still dismissed
Toronto
Five years into the Canadian military’s formal crackdown on sexual misconduct, some victims still report being bullied, harassed and singled out by superior officers, according to a new study by an agency of the Department of National Defence.
In at least one instance, a female artillery officer reported she was threatened with public humiliation and called a “liar” by her battery sergeant major after laying a complaint against another member of the unit.
The sense many who report abuse have of being abandoned by the chain of command — despite high-profile assurances to the contrary from both senior military leaders and the Liberal government — is one of the most disturbing findings in a study quietly completed earlier this year by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC).
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“Unfortunately, many participants in this study described feeling unsupported because of interactions with individuals in their chain of command following an incident of sexual misconduct, regardless of whether the incident took place before or after Operation HONOUR,” said the report.
Operation HONOUR is the military’s formal name for a series of policy initiatives and punishments meant to eliminate sexual misconduct in the ranks.
“In fact,” said the report, “the overwhelming majority of participants described feeling unsupported by at least one supervisor or leader because of their reactions or responses to these incidents.”
The campaign against sexual violence and harassment in the Armed Forces has seen the creation of a number of initiatives and institutions to support victims, including the Sexual Misconduct and Response Centre.
The number of reports of abuse — including cases brought to light by bystanders — has increased dramatically. So has the number of charges.
Top commanders insist the rules on appropriate behaviour in the military are more clearly defined and understood now.
And military leaders have said repeatedly the treatment of victims by the chain of command and by military prosecutors has improved.
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The report, which interviewed 67 current and former members — all of whom experienced sexual assault or misconduct — said that while victims experienced some moments of humanity and compassion when reporting incidents to their superiors, an atmosphere of disdain persists.
“The nature of these interactions also varied, but participants described feeling dismissed, ignored, or not believed by their supervisors and other leaders,” the survey said.
“In a few cases, these interactions included reports of bullying, harassment and being singled out by their chain of command.”
The survey was completed last February but, unlike ongoing Statistics Canada research — such as a recent survey of sexual misconduct at military colleges — it was not released in a public manner.
Marie-Claude Gagnon is a member of It’s Just 700, a support group for victims of sexual assault or abuse in the military.
She said she came across the DRDC report through a Google search and had to request a copy — even though she had been asked to help recruit participants for the survey and had been assured that the findings would receive a public airing.
The 16-page analysis, which is described as a “scientific letter” by the defence research arm, is set against a backdrop of broken promises, stalled initiatives and uncertainty for victims within the military’s justice system.
The findings underscore the sense that victims don’t believe they are being heard, as well as the need to reinforce victims’ rights, said Gagnon.
“It is one more reason [that demonstrates] where law matters and where rights matter,” Gagnon told CBC News.
The defence department, in a written statement, said the survey prompted senior leaders to remind commanding officers of their duty to “respond appropriately, fairly and consistently” when incidents are reported.
“We acknowledge there are many ongoing barriers and challenges, and we will continue to listen and learn from those affected and actively seek guidance from subject matter experts to ensure we take the appropriate steps to support them,” said the statement.-PUNA
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