Little Warriors disturbed by RCMP behaviour during Kelowna teen's report of sexual assault

Little Warriors offers to provide the RCMP with a custom training program designed to support victims

EDMONTON, May 16, 2019 /CNW/ - After recent media reports regarding an officer's inappropriate conduct in an interview with a teenaged sexual assault victim in Kelowna, Little Warriors is offering to develop a custom training program for RCMP staff to ensure they are educated on trauma-informed interview techniques.

The media reports include video that shows the officer interviewing the teen about her sexual assault while asking inappropriate and offensive questions.

"When enforcement officers do interviews, it is critical they avoid re-traumatizing the potential victims of sexual abuse. Instances like this reinforce a state of shame for victims and a mistrust of the professionals who are supposed to be helping them. It is important for any investigator to apply a trauma-informed lens when interviewing victims and investigating cases of sexual assault."
-Dr. Wanda Polzin, Clinical Director, Little Warriors Be Brave Ranch

In response Little Warriors, an organization committed to the awareness, prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse, has offered their expertise to provide the RCMP with a custom training program designed to properly support sexual assault victims as well as access to its Prevent It! workshop. 

"Little Warriors has a great deal of respect for the RCMP; however, this specific sexual assault investigation should have never happened this way. We want to ensure the RCMP are properly trained to support victims with dignity, respect and understanding."
-Glori Meldrum, Founder and Board Chair, Little Warriors

Developed in partnership with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta, Little Warriors' Prevent It! program offers workshops for individuals, communities and organizations. The aim of the workshop is to teach adults about child sexual abuse, with a focus on helping adults develop tools to reduce children's vulnerability to sexual abuse. Research shows that the program significantly improves attitudes, knowledge and behavior of participants. 

Backgrounder on results* of Prevent It! workshops

• The number of subjects actively looking for evidence of Child Sexual Abuse increased from 46% (at baseline) to 81% (at follow-up)
• The number of subjects who actively took steps to protect children increased from 25% (at baseline) to 48% (at follow-up)
• An overall increase in accurate knowledge about Child Sexual Abuse
• Less adherence to myths about Child Sexual Abuse
• Participants talked more about Child Sexual Abuse related topics with children in their lives
• The amount of recommended organizational prevention strategies being used tripled (in those that were a part of an organization when they took the program)

*Source:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01177/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field=&journalName=Frontiers_in_Psychology&id=203549 

The Little Warriors Be Brave Ranch offers a year-long, trauma-informed treatment program for children who have been sexually abused, as well as their families. For more information, visit littlewarriors.ca.

SOURCE Little Warriors

Media inquiries: Shannon Phelan, 403-370-6199, [email protected]