Sexual misconduct in the RCMP.
Sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and assault then what happens to those who offend? Promotions and little consequences? Yes and that is the problem.
What happens to the perpetrators? We know what happens to the victims, they suffer they are re-victimized and often are forced out of their chosen profession as RCMP officers. Many suffer for years of the trauma, first as victims of sexual harassment and assault, then re-traumatized by the failure of leadership in stopping the behaviour, failure in addressing the complaint, and failure to support them when they speak up and file a complaint.
Are there consequences for serial sexual harassers in the RCMP?
I have been speaking up about this very failure for years!! Writing the book WOMEN NOT WANTED, details these many systemic workplace cultural problems. The failure to stop sexual harassers, failure to address complaints of sexual harassment and assault and the failure to support those who speak up. This I know because I was one of them, the victim, who spoke up and nothing was done. Nothing. The lack of consequences for those who truly believe they have the right to sexually harass and assault their coworkers. This is not something new.
However, the only difference from 20 years ago, is people are speaking up and attention is now focussing on the perpetrators and how historically the RCMP has protected, condoned and been part of the serious systemic problem of sexual harassment in the RCMP.
The RCMP has been dealing with or lack of dealing with, sexual-harassment for years.
The RCMP says it’s looking into whether it can automatically fire Mounties accused in multiple sexual harassment cases and stop other alleged perpetrators from retiring early.
The force says it’s also seeking a legal opinion on whether it can fire Mounties found to have committed more than one act of harassment.
Both ideas come out of last winter’s report by former Supreme Court of Canada justice Michel Bastarache, who was tasked with assessing claims made through a landmark sexual assault and harassment lawsuit. His scathing final report called for changes to the RCMP’s culture and discipline methods.
“Like the Catholic Church, they just move them to another parish. I have a list [of RCMP officers] who have been found guilty up to 15 times. Those people have been promoted,” he said during testimony in front of the House of Commons public safety and national security committee in November 2020.
Often the perpetrators receive little or no punishment, no remedial education/ training, no accountability and yes they also get promoted. To many, this lack of accountability or punishment says getting promoted is a reward for sexual misconduct. A promotion and a transfer of a sexual predator promote and transfers the problem and multiply the number of victims. Deviant people can hide in every occupation and the police force is no exception.
Over these last few years, there have been strides put forward in improving the policies and regulations to adjust to the new reality of a ‘respectful harassment-free workplace’. Despite policies changing the problem continues, we have more victims, and perpetrators are rewarded because they are not held accountable and consequences are not serious enough for them to stop. The risk of losing their job, being fired, the humiliation is nothing compared to the trauma of the victim. There have to be serious consequences for all the ranks to stop sexual misconduct and other violence in the workplace.
Based on my own experience with many perpetrators of sexual misconduct and assault, I have seen how these individuals are promoted, transferred, and in some cases celebrated for their sexual conquest of their coworkers. That’s shameful behaviours for any organization especially in our Canadian national police force and any police agencies that are to ‘serve and protect’ all of society.
Most Mounties cited for sexual misconduct over the past 5 years were allowed to keep their jobs.
Even though RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki has vowed that there is “no room” for sexual assault and harassment in her organization, the penalties meted out to Mounties for sexual misconduct vary widely and range from dismissal all the way down to transfers and pay cuts.
A CBC News review of publicly available RCMP conduct board decisions also found that the reasons cited for retaining an RCMP officer found to have engaged in sexual misconduct can be quite subjective and can include evaluations of on-duty performance, past misconduct allegations or expressions of remorse.
Over the past five years, six Mounties found guilty of discreditable sexual activity by the conduct board have been let go for their actions. One captured and printed a photo of a naked woman being held in a detachment’s detox cells. Another exposed himself to a subordinate, pulled her ponytail and asked her to perform oral sex.
Another 14 RCMP officers have been punished for sexual misconduct while ultimately being allowed to stay on. Their conduct ranged from non-consensual touching to voyeurism to starting a relationship with a minor.
Another three implicated in acts of domestic violence were allowed to continue their careers in the RCMP.
Some of those allowed to stay on with the force were fined, transferred or declared ineligible for promotion for a period of time.
The message is clear to victims to shut up and just ‘take it. The blue wall of silence protects perpetrators. Leadership/management that fails to respond to sexual harassment, sexual assault complaint within the RCMP or any police agency, is in fact condoning the behaviour and part of the problem. Leadership needs to be willing to enforce these policies and hold all the perpetrators accountable with severe consequences, such as being fired, demotion in rank, denied promotion, ensuring there are thorough investigations from outside agencies, and provide ongoing support for the victims. Any workplace where women are experiencing sexual harassment or assault shatters the sense of safety.
Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women’s Support Services in Vancouver, said she sees these disciplinary decisions as the RCMP protecting its own.
“Really, this sort of Mafia-like code of silence is such a huge part of the culture,” she said.
“We are talking about a culture, of a blue wall of silence. On one hand, there’s a desire to present that the RCMP is taking police-involved sexualized violence and domestic violence seriously. On the other hand, that blue wall of silence is in effect when it comes to actually holding their own members accountable.”
The RCMP continues to struggle with allegations of sexual misconduct. As part of the historic Merlo-Davidson settlement agreement — the result of a class action lawsuit related to sexual harassment of women within the RCMP — 2,304 women received compensation out of a total of 3,086 claims.
A high-profile report coming out of that settlement said the force has a toxic culture.
It takes tremendous courage to speak up about sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace by coworkers. Imagine this happening to you and then you brave enough to make a complaint and nothing happens. Imagine you have to go to work with these people every day. The fear, the trauma are unimaginable for victims.
I know because I speak from experience. After being sexually assaulted by a coworker I had to go back to work the next day and look at this person as if nothing had happened, Because I knew nothing would happen if I said anything. The perpetrator was the same officer who bragged about a sex tape with two women and no one said anything to stop his deviant behaviours. No one. In fact, many claimed to have watched the sex tape. The slippery ethical and legal lines were blurred or non-existent.
Things are changing slowly sometimes it can seem at glacier speed.
I respect all those officers who are dedicated, honest and respectful people in the RCMP. Of course, for people who work in fear of retribution and loss of promotion opportunities, this is not the greatest atmosphere.
However even as things are changing, there continues to be a problem with sexual harassment, bullying, racism homophobia that plague the RCMP in all its ranks. There have to be consequences, people need to feel safe to speak up, bystanders need to feel safe to speak up. And ultimately victims need support as they navigate the trauma of sexual harassment and assault and in filing a complaint.
Can there be a success in ending sexual misconduct in the RCMP?
What does success in addressing sexual misconduct, bullying in the RCMP look like to me?
When a victim can safely speak up about what he or she has experienced, file a complaint, it is investigated respectfully, timely, they are believed and supported, they feel safe to return to work without any fear of retribution from their coworkers and they have a future with career promotion opportunities, then I will say that is a success. Today is not that day!
What can help the RCMP deal with sexual harassment and assault? Acknowledgement that there is a problem. Enforcing the criminal code, enforcing those policies on respectful workplace and timely investigations into sexual misconduct and assault. As mentioned the Catholic Church has historically done the same thing, with their sexual predators, promoted and moved them around to cause even more damage.
Getting all the employees to buy into the benefits of a respectful workplace. If people feel safe in their workplace they will speak up and this includes bystanders. The silence of others allows the perpetrators to continue.
Taking a closer look a the hiring practices. Are they hiring like-minded predators, or looking for folks who have the ‘right stuff. Such as effective communication, listening skills, someone who understands a healthy work/life balance, willing to seek a collaborative approach, has conflict resolution skills/training and ongoing leadership development, recognizes different personalities, cultures require different leadership styles, understands the trauma of sexual harassment and assault. Clearly, we are very much aware of the impossible task of investigating your own coworkers, they need outside agencies for these serious complaints. having everyone trained in ‘trauma-informed training’ to build a better understanding of why people behave the way they do, their own personal history affects behaviours of today. Enforcing consequences for those who continue this type of sexual harassment. Not just mediation, serious consequences like a demotion, denied promotions or demoted. A complaint of sexual harassment, assault is to be part of the vetting process in a promotion.
With RCMP Union recently being established the question is, will it protect the members or protect the perpetrators?
The bottom line people cannot change unless they want to change. If the RCMP as an organization discourages sexual harassment and assault, where there are very serious career and personal consequences, where they know coworkers will speak up for victims as well, positive changes can happen. The message will ripple through the ranks. Sexual harassment and assault are not be tolerated. I hope one day female officers not just in the RCMP but all police agencies and the military will never experience sexual harassment and assault.
Today is not the day. I am hopeful for the future generations of those who choose to be police officers in the RCMP or any other agency across Canada. Hopeful and I encourage people to continue to speak up. Speak up for yourself and those who continue to be afraid.
Keep the conversation going and speak up. Change only happens when we as a collective demand change and force those who refuse to find other employment.
If no one says anything nothing changes, we have more victims. I imagine five years from today and hope that the RCMP can heal the wounds within, create those changes needed for a respectful, inclusive workplace and remove those offenders in all the ranks. No rewards for bad behaviour!