Reporting An Assault

You want to share your experience, but you don’t necessarily want anyone to act upon it. You can disclose your experience to anyone that you trust. TRU Faculty and staff are required by policy to inform the Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Manager that a disclosure has occurred, but are not required to share any details or identities attached to the disclosure. However, if you disclose your experience to a TRU faculty member or staff, they may have to tell someone else if they think that you or someone else is in imminent danger of being harmed.

Making a report to TRU about an experience of sexualized violence means that you would like the university to act upon your report. You can make a report by contacting the Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Manager (Call TRU Student Services at 250-828-5023 to book an appointment with the SVPRM). They can provide information about the process and support through the process if you desire.

Suggestion: Make an appointment with the SVPRM to find out more about them and their role. You don’t need to disclose your own experience to ask questions.

Once a report is submitted, a review is conducted to determine whether the incident falls within the scope of TRU’s policy, and whether the incident described falls within the policy’s definition of “sexual violence”. Information about the scope of the policy can be found on pages 3-4 in the document, at Policy Consultation. If the incident does not fall within the scope of our policy, you can still receive supports through TRU’s Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Manager (SVPRM).

If the incident does fall within our policy, an investigation will be conducted. Those who choose to report may have concerns about their safety, and TRU may implement specific measures to address those concerns during the investigation process. Once the investigation is complete, a report on the investigations findings will be sent to TRU’s legal counsel, and to the President of the University. The President determines whether and what sanctions could be applied to those accused or perpetrating harm. A detailed explanation of reports and investigation procedures can be found on pages 6-9 of TRU’s policy, which can be found at Policy Consultation.

Suggestion: Give the policy a thorough read through before making a report, so that you have an opportunity to ask questions and gain as much clarity as possible before moving forward. Consider asking a friend to read it as well so that you can compare notes.

If you decide to make a report to TRU about an experience of sexualized violence, you can do so through TRU’s Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Manager (SVPRM). Call TRU Student Services at 250-828-5023 to book an appointment with the SVPRM.

Third party reporting allows victims/survivors to report the crime anonymously through a third party such as a Community Based Victim Services worker at the Kamloops Sexual Assault Counseling Center (KSACC). KSACC also provides free counseling, support, advocacy and accompaniment to individuals who have experienced sexualized violence. The police will still receive a report about the crime, but they won’t know who the victim/survivor is (unless you decide to come forward at a future time). Those reporting must be 19 years of age or older.

Only victim service workers in community-based victim service programs (like KSACC) can file third party reports. Police-based victim service programs do not allow third party reporting. KSACC can assist in explaining the process of Third Party reporting, provide support in filling out all forms, and forward these forms to the RCMP.

Suggestion: Make an appointment with the CBVSW on campus so that you can learn more about them and their role. You don’t need to disclose your experience in order to access information and get a sense of whether their services are right for you.

Third Party Reports are valuable for those who are unsure about whether to involve the RCMP. This report is not investigated and will not become part of official police statistics, but it does inform the RCMP about the assault, and provides details that may be relevant to another investigation. If you are available to be contacted in the future, police might have other information about assaults that may have been perpetrated by the same person, or connected in some way. (taken from www.vsac.ca/reporting-to-police).

Call them directly at 250-372-0179. TRU’s SVPRM can also assist you in getting connected to KSACC. A Community Based Victim Services worker will be available to provide information about Third Party Reports and support students to complete a report on campus Tuesdays from 1-4 p.m. in Student Services. More information can be found www.ksacc.ca.

Please note that making a third party report with KSACC is not the same as making a third party report with the University—these are separate and unrelated processes. KSACC does not share any information with TRU about students who access their services on or off campus.