Waterloo Regional Police are casting a wide net as they review how they approach sexual assault complaints.
Chief Bryan Larkin says “about 30 different stakeholders” will be approached this month about potential involvement in a task force examining the issue.
The task force was created in response to an investigation by The Globe and Mail which found that 27 per cent of sexual assaults reported to Waterloo Regional Police between 2011 and 2015 were classified as unfounded. The national rate was 19 per cent.
Groups that could be involved in the task force include Family & Children’s Services of Waterloo Region, school boards, hospitals and other local health organizations, the YWCA, sexual assault support and treatment centres, religious leaders, victims and other private citizens.
“We’re looking at this from a really broad perspective,” Larkin said in an interview.
The police chief added that he hoped to see the provincial and federal governments take action on the issue as well.
“What works in Waterloo may not necessarily work in every community … but we have to look at this from a province-wide approach (and) a national standard,” he said.
Waterloo Regional Police have also asked an external academic to conduct a random review of some of the local sexual assault cases which were deemed unfounded.
With reporting by Nicole Lampa
