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Reporting Sexual Violence to Police: a Guide for Children and Youth

Reach Out to Us

If you have questions or need to talk to someone you can contact a Legal Support Navigator at The Journey Project. A Legal Support Navigator is a staff member who can provide information, support, and help with finding legal advice while you think about your options.

If you would like to speak with a Legal Support Navigator you can reach us by email, text, phone, or our social media pages.

We are available Monday to Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm.

CALL 1-709-722-2805
TOLL-FREE 1-833-722-2805
TEXT: 709-986-2801
EMAIL: support@journeyprojectnl.com

www.journeyproject.ca

AND

You can call or text the Kids Help Phone any time. There are people who you can talk to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Kids Help Phone is available by calling 1-800-668-6868 or texting 686868

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for anyone under the age of 18 who has been hurt in a sexual way and is interested in learning more about talking to the police. The information that you will read is not legal advice, just information to help you understand your options.

Things to Know 

If you are reading this after someone has hurt you, know that what happened was not your fault. No one has the right to hurt you, even if they say they love you. You have the right to get help and support. If you have been hurt, you don’t have to keep that a secret or try to deal with it on your own. There are people who care about you and who want to help.

People at The Journey Project wrote this guide for you and are here to help you along with the other safe people in your life that you trust.

To Parents, Caregivers, and other Trusted Adults:

This document is written for children and youth who have experienced sexual violence; however we understand that for many reasons parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults may also be reading this. If you have additional questions or are looking for guidance on how to support a child or youth in your life that has been harmed, please reach out to us.

If you’re not ready to talk to someone yet, please feel free to visit our website and look through the various resources located there. Know that when you call, we may need consent from the minor in your life before we can support them.

Words We Use

There are a lot of words we can use to describe when someone has been harmed sexually. You may have heard terms like “sexual abuse,” “sexual assault,” “sexual harassment,” “rape,” “exploitation,” or other words. Here at the Journey Project, we just use one phrase to include all of the ways that people can be harmed sexually: “sexual violence.”

There are also lots of different words that we can use to talk about people who have experienced sexual violence, like “victim,” “target,” or “survivor.” In this guide, we call people who have experienced sexual violence “survivors.” It is ok if you don’t feel like this word fits with how you feel. We just use that one term to make things less confusing for people.

Lastly, there are many different words for people under the age of 18 – sometimes we say “child” or “kid,” and when older, we sometimes call people “youth” or “adolescents.” To be clear, in this guide we will just use the word “minor,” and that means anyone under the age of 18.

What Do the Words “complainant” and “complaint” Mean?

Reporting sexual violence to the police is often called “making a complaint” by police officers, lawyers, and other people who do work like them. Because of this, you may hear those same people use the word “complainants” when talking about survivors who report to the police.

Also, saying that someone “made a report” or “reported” to the police is the same as saying that someone “made a complaint” to the police.

When a report is made to the police, the person who first gives information to the police is called the complainant. Different people can make the first report when a minor is involved. That means you could give the first report yourself, or your parent, legal guardian, or another adult could give that report.

Whoever the complainant is, the minor is still the survivor in the case, no matter what. You are the person who was harmed, and your thoughts, feelings, and input are important.

Where Can I Make a Complaint?

There are two different police agencies in Newfoundland and Labrador. They are called the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Depending on where you live, you might meet an RNC police officer or an RCMP police officer. Their jobs are the same. You can see a list of all police detachments at the following links:

RNC: https://www.rnc.gov.nl.ca/contact-directory/

RCMP: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/detach/en/find/NL 

You can make a complaint in person at a police station. You can also call your local police station to talk about meeting a police officer at another location in your community. The process is usually similar at every police station.

Duty to Report

It is important for you to know that when a minor reports sexual violence to the police, the police may inform your parent(s), guardian(s), or other supportive adult(s) that you are involved with.

The police also have to report this to the people responsible for making sure that minors are safe from harm. These people are usually social workers and work at a place called “CSSD” (sometimes called “Child and Youth Services” or “child protection”). Once this report is made, a social worker may talk to you or your trusted adult to make sure that you are safe.

It’s okay to feel angry or upset that police or social workers have been contacted – we are giving you this information so that you are prepared in case it happens.

I’m Going to Report at the Police Station, What Will Happen?

Before You Go

Making a report in person can feel overwhelming and scary – those are normal feelings. You may feel anxious, excited, sad, or nervous about going to the police. There is no “right” way to react or feel because everyone deals with big things differently!

When possible, we suggest calling the police station ahead of time to schedule an appointment.

If you are reporting in person at the RNC in St. John’s, you can request to speak with someone in the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault (CASA) Unit. A CASA officer may not be available immediately if you do not call ahead to make an appointment.

We think it is important for you to bring a support person with you if that’s possible for you. Someone from The Journey Project may be able to come with you to the police station if you ask, depending on where in the province you are located.

Bring something to occupy your mind. This could be a video game, your phone and charger if you have one, a book, a small art or craft project, or your fidget object. You may be waiting for some time, up to several hours, especially if you do not have an appointment. Having water, a snack, any medicine you need, and tissues on hand is also a good idea.

When You Arrive

You will likely walk up to a window at the police station and will need to tell the staff person that you want to “file a complaint.” If you have an appointment, you should tell the person there who you are meeting and what time your appointment is. You may need to state what type of incident you are reporting. Depending on the layout of the police station and if other people are there, this conversation may not be private. You may be asked to show a form of identification – ask a trusted adult if you have something like this that you can bring.

When you first contact the police, there may be an initial interview. The initial interview is when a police officer asks for basic information about what happened. Police will ask for more specific information when you give a statement (we’ll talk more about that below).

Be prepared to wait in the main lobby. How long you wait will depend on if there is a police officer available to take your statement.

Giving Your Statement

A statement is when you officially tell the police everything that happened, and answer all of their questions. A statement can occur at the police station, or somewhere else that works for both you and the police.

Before making your statement, you should tell the police officer about anything you will need for it. This might be things like interpretation or translation services, transportation, having a support person with you, or a service animal. A Legal Support Navigator with The Journey Project can also assist you with arranging some of these things.

Both the RNC and RCMP are trained in a special way to complete interviews with minors who have experienced sexual violence. So, no matter which police location you report to, how the police ask you questions should be similar.

If you are reporting sexual violence in St. John’s, the police officers in the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault (CASA) unit can give tours to minors before you give your statement, which might help make you feel more comfortable. You can come to the RNC building to see the room where you will give the statement, get more comfortable with the officer who will take your statement, and ask them any questions that you might have. Then, if you return to the RNC to give your statement, you are in a place with a person you have met before.

The police officer who is in charge of taking your statement and finding out what happened to you is called the “investigating officer.”

The investigating officer will give you the chance to describe, in your own words, what happened and why you are there. The police officer will likely ask you some specific questions to make sure they have as much information as possible for their investigation. You may see the police officer write down some notes or draw circles on a piece of paper. This is to help them remember questions they may want to ask you later.

Your statement may be videotaped, audiotaped, or both. This is because it may be used as evidence in court. You are allowed to bring along a support person with you, but it is best to ask the officer ahead of time who the right support person might be. Sometimes the person we want to have in the room with us can’t be, because they also have important information to give to the police about what happened to you.

You can also take along any notes you have to help jog your memory.

The police officer is going to ask you questions about what happened that may feel hard to answer, because they are personal and may be hard to think about. It’s okay to have lots of feelings when this is happening, or no feelings at all – everyone is different.

During this interview, you may be asked to tell the same story with the same information multiple times. The purpose of this is to make sure the police officer has a full understanding of what happened.

You should answer all questions as completely and truthfully as you can. If you do not know or cannot remember the answer to a question, that is totally ok and you can tell the officer that. If you are making a guess at an answer, you can tell the officer that too. It is best not to try to fill in blanks if you do not know the answer.

The police officer may ask you:

  • What happened? You may be asked to give a very detailed description of the incident(s).
  • The name and description of the person or people that hurt you.
  • Details surrounding what happened. This might be things like the date, the time, or the location. 
  • About things that happened before or after the incident(s).
  • If you had any physical injuries. If you did, you may be asked to describe them.
  • If you told anyone else about what happened or if anyone saw what happened. These people might be called witnesses*.

If you cannot remember all the details, that is ok, and very common. If there are details you may have forgotten, or details that you remember after the interview, you can contact the investigating officer when you remember to let them know.

A witness* is someone who the police think might have important information about a crime. The police may want to speak to them, and their statement may be used as evidence in court. They may have to appear in court to tell people in the courtroom what they know.

What Happens After Giving a Statement?

Your case may now be referred to as “under investigation.” While your case is under investigation, the police will interview witnesses and continue to collect evidence.

There are a lot of people who could be involved in the investigation. This could be:

  • Child Abuse Sexual Assault Unit (RNC)
  • Special Victims Unit (RCMP)
  • Crown Attorney (a lawyer)
  • A doctor, pediatrician, or other medical professionals
  • Witnesses (if there are any)
  • Social workers
  • Adults in your life

Police investigations can take time and every case is different. It may take weeks, months, or even years in some cases. If you have questions about what is happening in your case, you can contact the investigating police officer to find out information. You can also reach out to us at The Journey Project, and we can help you find out who you need to talk to.

The investigating police officer can provide information on:

  • Your rights as a survivor.
  • How long things might take.
  • What the next steps might be.
  • If any charges will be laid after the investigation is completed.

What Does “laying Charges” Mean?

After the police have collected all of their evidence and finished their investigation, they may do something called “laying a charge.” Sometimes people call this “pressing charges.” The police may lay one charge, or many charges, depending on the evidence they have collected. Laying charges happens if the police have enough evidence to say that someone has committed a crime. The police, not the survivor, decide if they are able to lay a charge.

Usually, the police will consider if you want to move forward with charges against the person or people who hurt you when they are deciding to lay charges. If your parent or trusted adult wants to move forward and you don’t, the police will still consider how you feel and what you want.

If your parent or trusted adult does not want to move forward because they are concerned about how it will affect your life and your feelings, the police will also consider this.

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What Happens to the Person(s) Charged?

Someone who is charged with a crime is called “the accused.” The accused will have to go to court to talk to a judge about the charges against them. A judge will either tell them they are allowed back into the community or that they have to “remain in custody,” or jail, until the case is finished.

If the accused is released back into the community, the court may make rules about what they can and cannot do. These rules are called “conditions.” For example, the accused might be ordered to not have any contact with you or other people connected to the case, or to stay away from where you live and go to school.

An accused person can later ask the court to make changes to their conditions, which is called “varying.” If this happens, you have the right to know about it.

If the person is released into the community, and you are concerned for your safety, reach out to the police, your parent/trusted adult, a social worker, or someone at the Journey Project. There are ways to help keep you safe that they can help you with.

What Happens After a Charge is Laid?

The police will then send the file to lawyers who are responsible for taking the next steps. These lawyers are called “Crown Attorneys.” A Crown Attorney will be assigned, and they will handle your case moving forward. For more information on what happens in this situation, please reach out to us at The Journey Project, or consult our website for more information.

Once a charge has been laid, you and/or your family can get additional support about what happens next from another group, called Victim Services.

Victim Services is a voluntary, free, and confidential program that supports victims of crime if a charge has been laid. You may be contacted by Victim Services once a charge is laid so they can talk to you about how they can help.

There are several victim services locations across the province. You can find more information about Victim Services by visiting:

https://www.gov.nl.ca/victimservices/resources-children-and-youth-2/

What Happens if the Police Do Not Lay a Charge?

If a charge is not laid, it is because the police were not able to collect enough evidence to move forward. It does not mean the sexual violence did not happen or that the police officers did not believe you. It is normal to feel disappointed, angry, or confused that a charge has not been laid.

The investigating officer can explain why a charge was not laid and connect you with other legal options. The Journey Project staff are also available at any time during this process to provide legal information, emotional support, or a referral to a lawyer for free legal advice.

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Other Common Questions About Reporting to Police

If you have experienced sexual violence in Newfoundland and Labrador but are now living in a different province or country, you can still file a complaint with the police in your area. They should be able to take your statement and communicate this to the police in Newfoundland and Labrador where the incident happened.

This process may look different depending on where you are located, so it is best to contact your local police office for more information and help.

You can also reach out to a Legal Support Navigator at the Journey Project who can help you figure out where to go and what to do.

In Canada, there is no time limit on when a person can report an incident of sexual violence to the police. You can report to the police no matter how long ago it happened.