A Survey of Survivors of Sexual Violence in the Northwest Territories

1. Purpose and Background

The purpose of this study was to better understand the experiences of survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual assault (ASA) in one of Canada’s northern territories in terms of reporting practices, coping strategies and experiences with the criminal justice system. It is difficult to determine with accuracy the true nature and prevalence of CSA and ASA, as these crimes are among the most underreported violent crimes in Canada. Indeed, in 2009, it is estimated that 88% of victims of self-reported sexual assault, aged 15 and older, did not report the incident to the police (Perreault and Brennan 2010). What is known about these crimes, however, is that the victims of both are most often female. Females represented the majority (87%) of survivors of police-reported sexual assault (Levels 1, 2 and 3) in 2012 Footnote 1 and 70% of self-reported sexual assaults in 2009 (Perreault and Brennan 2010).

What is also known is that Canada’s northern territories have the highest rate of violent crime and sexual assault in Canada. In 2010, the rate of police-reported sexual assault in the territories ranged from 2 to 6 times greater than Manitoba, the province with the highest rate of police-reported sexual assault.Footnote 2

A large proportion of residents of the territories are Aboriginal. Footnote 3 Aboriginal individuals in Canada experience victimization at a much higher rate than non-Aboriginal individuals in both the provinces and the territories (Perreault 2011; Perreault and Hotton Mahony 2012). For example, in the Canadian provinces in 2009, the rate of self-reported sexual assault was almost 3 times higher among Aboriginal individuals compared to non-Aboriginal individuals (Perreault and Brennan 2010). In the territories in 2009, the rate of self-reported violent victimization (including sexual assault, robbery and physical assault) was higher among Aboriginal individuals (252 per 1,000 population) than among non-Aboriginal individuals (145 per 1,000 population) (Perreault and Hotton Mahony 2012). Aboriginal females, specifically, experience violence at an extremely high rate. In 2009, the rate of self-reported violent victimization perpetrated against Aboriginal women in the provinces was three times that of non-Aboriginal women (Brennan 2011).

Aboriginal females in the territories are among the most vulnerable populations in Canada, in terms of violent victimization and sexual assault. Because of the high levels of sexual assault and low frequency of reporting, it is important to understand their experiences, as well as those of non-Aboriginal women in the North, to ensure that their needs are understood.

In the Northwest Territories, there are a number of services available to victims of crime. Victim Services provides a number of services, including information, referrals to community programs, support and assistance with victim impact statements and attending court. Footnote 4 Victim Services programs are available in a number of communities around the territory. In rural and remote areas, services are provided via telephone and there are outreach services available in some communities. Victims can also obtain services from Crown Witness Coordinators (CWCs) who are federal employees of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. CWCs “locate, support, and prepare crime victims and witnesses for their role in the prosecution of crimes. CWCs act as liaisons between the Crown Prosecutor and victims/witnesses, keeping both parties apprised of developments and situations which impact the case. CWCs encourage the use of Victim Impact Statements, assist in the arrangements of testimonial aids, attend court with victims/witnesses and follow up with them as necessary” (Levan 2010, 4). In addition to Victim Services, the Northwest Territories has a number of other non-governmental organizations that provide services to victims including the centre involved in the current study.

The current study builds from a survey of sexual assault survivors conducted in the late 1990s (Hattem 2000) which posed questions about the production and disclosure of third party records. Footnote 5 In addition to the questions about disclosure of third party records, this study also asked survivors about their confidence in the criminal justice system, how they obtain information about the justice system, and sought suggestions on how to improve understanding of the criminal justice system and how the justice system can better meet the needs of survivors of sexual violence.