Saskatoon sexual assault centre director says rise in assaults linked to reporting

The latest Crime Severity Index put Saskatoon sixth-highest in Canada when it comes to police-reported crime, a ranking partially attributable to a rise in sexual assault rates.

The index, published this week by Statistics Canada, noted that Saskatoon has seen an increase in sexual violations against children, and sexual assaults are also on the rise in the province.

Reagan Conway, executive director of the Saskatoon Sexual Assault and Information Centre, said the statistic doesn’t necessarily mean more sexual assaults are happening. Sexual assault statistics are primarily determined based on reports made to police, Conway noted. That data relying on reports to police, and many individuals who have been victims of sexual violence choose not to report. That means the statistics on sexual assault have never been able to show the whole picture.

Conway said it is likely the rise is indicative that more people are reporting the sexual assaults and instances of sexual violence they have experienced.

That trend is a positive one, Conway said, though any potential rise in sexual assault rates is inherently concerning.

“It’s good that there’s an increase in the reported amounts, because obviously then people are feeling more comfortable and safer about coming forward to speak about the assaults that have happened to them,” she said.

With more education and awareness about sexual assault, Conway said the climate is now “giving survivors permission to finally come forward and say, ‘yes, this has happened to me.'”

But she still sees areas where more progress is needed.

“There’s still issues in reporting and belief, lots of misconceptions around sexualized violence and the biases that go along with that,” Conway said.

At the sexual assault centre in Saskatoon, Conway said they have seen more survivors reaching out for support after experiencing sexual violence.

“But not necessarily everyone who comes into our centre for counselling reports (to police), either,” she noted. “We’re seeing more people coming forward and asking for support, not necessarily wanting to report to the police about what happened.”

In particular, Conway said more young people have been coming forward about experiences with sexual violence.

While there are year-to-year changes in trends and reporting about sexual assault and other sexual offences, Conway said more reports on those crimes being made is something that should be seen as a “good thing,” because it shows more people are comfortable with speaking up and making a report.

Conway said the centre tries to not have a wait list, and schedules people to see a counsellor as soon as possible.

“In a perfect world, we would have counsellors right away that can get people in. That’s not always the case,” Conway explained.

The centre also offers group counselling.

“We do the best with what we have,” Conway said.

She said it’s important to remind people that sexual violence is never the victim’s fault, and encouraged anyone who has been a victim to consider reaching out to the sexual assault centres located in Saskatoon, Regina or North Battleford.