麻豆影视

Politics

    • 'I was scared to report it': Active military member speaks out about facing sexual violence

    Share

    Warning: This story contains disturbing details

    An active member of the Royal Canadian Navy says he is a military sexual assault survivor who wants meaningful change to come from former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour鈥檚 report on sexual misconduct in the armed forces.

    The "women warriors" in the military, as Arbour has called them, are the main targets for sexual assaults and harassment but men too have faced sexual violence, and this member is sharing his story for the first time.

    "I am living with the trauma," said the man, who is a petty officer, second class. "I do not think the Canadian Armed Forces recognizes the traumatic aspect of sexual misconduct."

    麻豆影视 has agreed to shield his identity because he fears retaliation for speaking out about his experiences.

    "The victim is on their own to bring attention to the matter and advocate for themselves," he said. "Right now I feel like nobody's listening. What can I do to get people to listen?"

    He decided to share his story on the very same day Arbour released her highly-anticipated report into sexual misconduct in the military.

    Arbour said while conducting her review she found "a deeply deficient culture" within the military. She also said the time has come for the body to cede more control to civilian authorities.

    "For all the hardship it has caused over decades, the attention that this issue has recently attracted presents opportunities for change that might have been unimaginable without such a shock to the system."

    The petty officer said his hardship began in 2007, while he was on a routine training course. He said during a night out with other military members, he was drugged and raped.

    "There was a drinking place, like a social club or pub, on base and I went there with some of the other people from the course," he said. "Like I had one drink and I was completely intoxicated."

    He would later wake up "on the edges of the base" with "his pants down."  Not long after, he said he went to hospital where he was medically assessed by staff. He also said that, instead of military police being informed, he was referred to the base chaplain for support.

    "I was scared to even report it outside of the medical community, because the individual who I believe did it was more senior than me."

    Fearing reprisal, he decided against filing an official complaint. He identifies as gay, and at the time he was not fully open about his sexuality. By reporting the alleged assault, he worried he would be discriminated against and that his military career might be impacted.

    "I didn't want to bring attention to my sexuality," he said. "So with that, I carried a lot of shame with what happened and how it happened."

    In her report, Arbour said complaints of sexual misconduct, which are generally handled by the chain of command, often go unreported. "Victims mistrust the chain of command and so do not report. I have heard this mistrust time and time again in the course of my review."

    Army Reserve Officer Sam Samplonius is a survivor of military sexual assault who helps run It's Not Just 20K, a support and advocacy group for victims of sexual misconduct in the armed forces.

    "If you have been sexually assaulted you need to be able to report that and know that something is going to be done about that," she said. "There are a lot of people that just don't trust the system because they have reported incidents and had them dismissed."

    Samplonius said she and others have long advocated for what she calls a "survivor-centric" approach. She said that means military leadership must take into account how decisions and policies are going to impact "someone who is thinking about reporting, somebody who has reported, and someone who is too afraid to report."

    She added that when changing how complaints are handled, one of the goals must be to "make it more comfortable for the complainant to come forward" so that they are not afraid of "career implications, being called a snitch or being ostracized."

    Despite being afraid to come forward after his alleged assault, the petty officer did make an official complaint in 2019, however it was linked to a different incident.

    "When I told my commanding officer about what happened, he told me to file a report. I was hesitant but he said that I had every right to come forward."

    His complaint centred on a claim that he was sexually harassed and stalked online by a fellow member of the navy who was also a superior. "Officers are supposed to be trustworthy, so I decided to reach out to military police."

    An investigation was launched, but it would take more than two years to reach a conclusion in the matter.

    "In the end I was told that the complaint did not meet the criminal threshold," he said. "Pages and pages of documents submitted, along with me repeatedly asking for a resolution, and nothing happened."

    He said the experience destroyed his trust in the complaint reporting process and the military as a whole. He also said both the alleged assault and sexual harassment left him with post traumatic stress disorder.

    "The true hypocrisy lies with the treatment of personnel," he said. "One of our ethos is respect the dignity of all people, but you're not respecting people's dignity when they come forward with sexual misconduct complaints and nothing happens."

    Arbour's report lists 48 recommendations for consideration by the federal government, ranging from terminology changes, to recruitment targets, and improved reporting schemes.

    National Defence Minister Anita Anand said Ottawa 鈥渁ccepts鈥 the report in its entirety and is currently in the process of implementing several recommendations including the immediate appointment of an "external monitor" to oversee the execution of the report.

    When it comes to Arbour's report, while the petty officer would have liked to see her suggest the creation of a professional association, similar to a union, he said he is happy with most of recommendations including the inclusion of a greater civilian role in the military.

    However, he said it is all meaningless without action and that the "real work " must start now because he says "there's been very little of that."

    As for his military career, he said he no longer sees a future in the navy. Like so many others, he is now looking to leave and seeking a medical release.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A 42-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with human smuggling following an investigation near a Canada-U.S. border crossing in Manitoba.

    A B.C. woman who was recorded praising Hamas as 'heroic and brave' can return to protest rallies, authorities confirmed this week.

    Canada

    • A B.C. woman who was recorded praising Hamas as 'heroic and brave' can return to protest rallies, authorities confirmed this week.

    • A 42-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with human smuggling following an investigation near a Canada-U.S. border crossing in Manitoba.

    • Another beluga whale has died at Marineland and four years into a provincial probe, Ontario's solicitor general is saying little about the investigation's progress.

    • Erin Folk and her family are dealing with a nightmare of a situation, after their pet dogs were shot last week and left to suffer.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.

    • A wildlife rescue in B.C. is caring for two orphaned bobcat kittens who have become as inseparable as 'real sisters' even though it's highly unlikely they are actually from the same litter.

    Sports

    Autos

    • Mercedes-Benz has partnered up with the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) and the provincial government to launch a new 鈥渋ncubator program鈥. One of the first three locations is Windsor, with the other two going to Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo.

    Local Spotlight

    Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.

    Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).

    A B.C. couple is getting desperate 鈥 and creative 鈥 in their search for their missing dog.

    Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.

    A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

    Bernie Hicks, known as the 鈥楤atman of Amherst,鈥 always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.

    Bubi鈥檚 Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

    Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    Manitobans are in cleanup mode after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province this weekend.

    • A B.C. woman who was recorded praising Hamas as 'heroic and brave' can return to protest rallies, authorities confirmed this week.

    • The leaders of B.C.'s main political parties sparred over health care, housing, and affordability Tuesday, pitching competing visions for how to address the most urgent issues facing the province in a debate punctuated by a few feisty exchanges.

    • A suspect remains at large after an assault sent a man to hospital with serious injuries in Nanaimo, B.C.

    • Police say there are 'early indications' that a stolen vehicle was involved in a fiery crash in Toronto involving two TTC buses early Wednesday morning.

    • Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is expressing regret for not attending a massive vigil held earlier this week where the city鈥檚 Jewish community commemorated one year since the October 7 terrorist attack. But her explanation isn鈥檛 adding up, event organizers say.

    • Hurricane Milton is about to hit Florida and Toronto Pearson International Airport says several flights to the state have been cancelled as a result.

    • Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange announced a new tentative compensation agreement for resident physicians Thursday as part of a push to recruit, train and keep more physicians in the province.

    • An Airdrie resident is facing several charges after police say they were caught in possession of several stolen vehicles.

    • The city has launched a free food pantry in the Beltline.

    • As the LRT's new north-south line prepares to open, many Barrhaven transit users will still have to use buses and transfer to commute downtown.

    • As one of the most powerful hurricanes threatens to make landfall in Tampa Bay, residents brace for the impact.

    • A new report from Rentals.ca and Urbanation shows the average cost to rent an one-bedroom apartment was $2,042 a month in September, down from $2,044 a month in August.

    • Three young people aged 17, 19 and 20 were arrested after shots were fired late on Tuesday near Old Montreal. No one was injured in the shooting, but the suspects will be interviewed by Montreal police investigators.

    • Canada's official languages commissioner is expressing concern over Quebec's decision to cap the number of students who can enrol in the province's English-language junior colleges.

    • Encouraged by a recent poll, the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) says it is feeling a groundswell of support among the population. A Leger opinion poll published in the Quebec media on Wednesday suggests that if the PLQ chose Pablo Rodriguez as its leader, it would be first in the polls.

    • A cougar was spotted early Wednesday morning within the city of Lloydminster, police are warning the public.

    • Randy Boissonnault, MP for Edmonton Centre and the federal minister of employment, workforce development and official languages, has been named the ministerial lead of Jasper's rebuild.

    • Students in the village of Myrnam get a lot of hands-on experience with renewable energy in an award-winning program.

    • Premier Tim Houston said he was notified on Monday morning that funds had been allegedly stolen from the Pictou East Riding Association.

    • Former CTV Atlantic employee Eric Bungay who now works for a CBS affiliate in Tampa Bay is bracing for Hurricane Milton's arrival.

    • A 42-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with human smuggling following an investigation near a Canada-U.S. border crossing in Manitoba.

    • A Winnipeg landlord is facing $9,000 in penalties following a mass eviction at a Winnipeg apartment block this summer.

    • Dreams Take Flight participants embark on a one-in-a-lifetime adventure to California

    • The Saskatchewan New Democrats are touring the Parkland region, vowing to end rural emergency room disruptions if they form government this fall.

    • Those who are interested in running for mayor, city council or school board in Regina's upcoming civic election have until 4 p.m. this afternoon to submit their paperwork.

    • A 17-year-old boy has been charged in connection with multiple incidents in late September that saw two Regina houses shot at during the overnight hours.

    • One person was struck by a GO train, near the Kitchener station, on Wednesday morning.

    • Another beluga whale has died at Marineland and four years into a provincial probe, Ontario's solicitor general is saying little about the investigation's progress.

    • The new Sports and Entertainment Centre is set to be built in an empty parking lot, right next to the existing Civic Centre arena, which is where the Bulldogs play.

    • Dozens of people gathered at Saskatoon city hall Tuesday to voice their concerns about the growing issue of homelessness in our city, and to offer their own solutions.

    • The province鈥檚 consumer watchdog is investigating a Saskatoon company selling luxury vacation condos in Mexico.

    • The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) is renewing public calls for help catching Timloh "Butchang" Nkem, a man deemed the city's most wanted man.

    • The province is boosting enrollment in Basic Constable Training at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer by 80 recruits per year.

    • The widow of a London firefighter who died from cancer is applauding a federal commitment to study its prevalence.

    • Riding the roller-coaster of being a Toronto Maple Leaf and becoming the first Muslim player to win a Stanley Cup are chronicled in Londoner Nazem Kadri's book "Dreamer: My Life On The Edge".

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      The jury reached a verdict on Wednesday in the 1994 Katherine Janeiro murder case, finding her former boyfriend, Bruce Ellis, not guilty.

    • Provincial police are investigating reports of an armed robbery in Amaranth Township that sent one person to the hospital in critical condition.

    • Police arrested a man they say is responsible for a rash of robberies at convenience stores in Barrie over the last 10 months.

    • Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.

    • The Windsor Police Service (WPS) has arrested one suspect in connection to a child exploitation investigation.

    • Tecumseh residents were able to give their input on Tuesday regarding a proposed residential development in their area.

    • A suspect remains at large after an assault sent a man to hospital with serious injuries in Nanaimo, B.C.

    • The leaders of B.C.'s main political parties sparred over health care, housing, and affordability Tuesday, pitching competing visions for how to address the most urgent issues facing the province in a debate punctuated by a few feisty exchanges.

    • While the high school hallways were empty of students, Alison Calder was full of questions about her teaching career.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Charges have been laid against a 44-year-old man following a traffic stop in Brocket, Piikani Nation RCMP said Tuesday.

    • A metal fabrication company west of Medicine Hat has been fined by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) following a workplace fatality in 2023.

    • A Lethbridge police officer involved in a scandal involving former Lethbridge New Democrat MLA Shannon Phillips has been reprimanded.

    • Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.

    • A woman in Greater Sudbury, Ont., said "It doesn't get more Canadian than this" when she spotted a black bear dumpster diving at a Tim Hortons last month.

    • The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is the latest organization to call on the Doug Ford government to re-open dialogue with an airline service that transports lower-income Canadians to crucial medical care far from home.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视