TORONTO -- Effy Zarabi came to Canada from Iran in 1991 with her family. She was nine, and her parents were eager to escape their war-torn country and give their three children a better life.
Effy quickly learned English and by the time she was a teenager, knew she wanted a career protecting people, especially in this new country that had welcomed her family.
鈥淚t was in my early teens. I鈥檇 always been around strong, positive women and I鈥檝e always kind of connected that with the police,鈥� said Zarabi, in an interview with W5, about her decision to seek a career in policing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an honorable career. So it was just always something that I wanted to do from a young age.鈥�
Getting into college, working hard and volunteering in her community was just part of her journey to becoming a police officer and wearing a uniform and badge she coveted.
鈥淚 was a Big Sister; And one of the things I wanted to do to gain experience was working at Toronto Community Housing. Because it鈥檚 kind of as close to policing as you can get.鈥�
By the year 2008, Effy became a constable in the biggest municipal police force in Canada, the Toronto Police Service.
鈥淥h it was the proudest (moment), it was the best thing ever,鈥� said Zarabi, recalling the first time she put on her uniform. 鈥滻t鈥檚 the moment you feel like, 鈥榊es I finally made it. All the hard work paid off.鈥� You just feel so accomplished.鈥�
It didn鈥檛 take long, however, for red flags about sexual harassment and discrimination that Zarabi claims she began seeing in police college, to also send up warning signs at her new workplace.
She alleges that while working in the Toronto Police Service, she experienced a steady barrage of unwanted sexual advances, racially explicit materials and inappropriate and sexualized messages, some targeted directly at her.
鈥淚 think everybody would say, well you knew what you're getting yourself into,鈥� Effy recalled, 鈥渂ut you really don鈥檛. You don鈥檛 know until you get there.鈥�
The claims Zarabi is speaking out about aren鈥檛 unlike those from over 3,000 female RCMP officers. In 2016 they won a massive victory when the RCMP settled in a class-action lawsuit that claimed they had faced sexual harassment, bullying and gender discrimination.
In the wake of that landmark settlement, other female officers in Canada started coming together, to speak out 鈥� a group of 12 in Waterloo, Ontario; another 14 in Calgary 鈥� bound together by their experiences and buoyed by the hope that in numbers their voices might be heard.
Jen Magnus was one of those female officers. As a constable for the Calgary Police Service, she also says she endured ongoing sexual harassment during her 14 years in uniform. Magnus says when she spoke up or tried to make changes, it got worse, so she gave up her badge.
When she resigned publicly in 2017, in front of a Police Commission meeting, Magnus spoke for two minutes, delivering a prepared statement.
鈥淚 have been bullied, sexually harassed, degraded and chastised,鈥� she said, shaking and on the verge of tears. 鈥淚 did not leave the Calgary Police Service, the Calgary Police Service left me. 鈥� And then she collapsed, her head in her hands.
Magnus now focuses her attention on research. Her PhD dissertation is entitled 鈥淭he Influence of a Masculine Culture in Policing.鈥� W5 asked her whether harassment and abuse faced by female officers in this country is systemic.
Her response: 鈥淎bsolutely, it is. To this day, I have a friend who鈥檚 still on the job, she hears horrific stories; she is trying to help them (female officers) but they are so fearful. So they stay quiet. It鈥檚 heartbreaking, but I understand.鈥�
Silence is a big reason there aren鈥檛 solid statistics on this issue in Canada. It鈥檚 why third-party consultants are now being brought in to conduct impartial workplace reviews, ensuring safety for all who contribute.
A review was done for the Calgary police in 2013. The Toronto Police Service is conducting one now, expected to be complete in the spring of 2020.
W5 approached police chiefs across Canada and received some very candid responses about the culture they say they鈥檙e committed to changing. One of those chiefs was Bryan Larkin from the Waterloo Regional Police.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not perfect, it鈥檚 not where I want it to be, but I do believe we鈥檙e heading in the right direction,鈥� said Larkin, who went on to discuss next steps.
鈥淚 think that, you know, it鈥檚 become the big focus for police leaders, is what do we want our profession to be? How do we want to reflect society? And I do believe that policing always has the opportunity to be an ambassador, to be a leader, to be a change.鈥�
Effy Zarabi, the young girl who came to Canada and realized her dream of being a police officer, is now on stress leave. She and two other female officers threatened to sue the Toronto Police Service for enabling a 鈥渢oxic, racist and sexist culture.鈥�
That threatened lawsuit fizzled out when the other two officers settled and signed non-disclosure agreements.
Effy wanted to remain vocal, and is now bringing her claims to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Despite facing obstacles, she says she still has hope for the career she built.
鈥淵ou have to be optimistic. You have to think positive. You have to believe in change. You have to, you know, keep reminding yourself of why you鈥檙e fighting the fight. Even though it鈥檚 hard, you know, you try. You have to.鈥�
