Ottawa police officer fears losing 'dream job' after alleged sexual assault
Female constable's complaint to human rights tribunal details March 2011 incident
An Ottawa police officer says she was sexually assaulted by a fellow officer when she was a rookie, and has "experienced an ongoing pattern of sex-based discrimination and harassment" on the job.
In a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario filed last May, the officer details the years of abuse she's endured as a female member of the Ottawa Police Service for more than a decade.
The officer said she faced discrimination while pregnant, including "pressure and intimidation" from another constable to end a pregnancy.
In other cases, the woman says she was called belittling names such as "chick" and "young lady" by senior officers. She said she repeatedly faced comments about her appearance, questions about her sex life and relationships, and jokes about sexual assault.
Her complaint has been redacted to remove the names of the victim and accused officers. CBC News is not naming the officers to protect the identity of the alleged victim.
'Dream job'
The alleged sexual assault took place not long after the officer was hired for what she describes in her complaint as her "dream job."
On the night of March 12, 2011, the officer said she was at a bar celebrating a colleague's birthday. She had arranged for a designated driver to take her home, but when the bar was about to close she couldn't find that person.
I love policing work and am distraught by the possibility that I may have to give up on the career that I had dreamed about since I was a child.- Complainant
Another officer eventually convinced her to get in his vehicle, telling her he'd take her straight home. That didn't happen.
"When we came to the turn for the highway, [the constable] turned in the opposite direction and I felt my stomach drop," she wrote.
According to her account, the man said he wanted to make a quick stop at his place. When they got there, she said he made advances toward her, which she rebuffed. She said he then told her he was too drunk to drive, and she agreed to go inside his home.
'Angry and annoyed'
She said once inside, the man made her a fizzy yellow drink. She sat on a bed and began playing a guitar, but said he grabbed the instrument from her and attempted to kiss her.
She said she was furious and started to cry, at which point the male constable criticized her and told her she needed counselling. She then sought refuge in a bathroom, but the man barged in and told her she was being "f--king ridiculous."
She said she felt incredibly tired and lay down at the foot of the bed, and that's when the alleged sexual assault occurred.
"I froze and felt utterly disgusted," she said. When she cried out and asked him to put a condom on, "he became angry and annoyed, and I whimpered."
No charges against officer
The officer called the sexual assault hotline and told a couple of friends about the incident. Eventually, she also told two male colleagues, but said she was "fearful of formally reporting the assault, as I believed it could ruin my career in policing."
In May 2018, she did report the assault to the Ontario Provincial Police. OPP investigators found there were "reasonable and probable grounds" to lay charges against the officer, but closed the file in April 2019, after the Crown determined there was no likely prospect of a conviction because of the amount of time that had passed.
Ottawa police confirm no charges have been laid under the Police Services Act related to the officer's complaints, but said a professional standards investigation is ongoing.
Seeking $805K
The officer said she suffered anxiety, difficulty sleeping and nightmares after the assault. She said her mental health further deteriorated after learning about another sexual assault claim involving a senior officer who was never named, demoted or suspended pending the investigation.
"I wondered how any woman could feel safe working for the OPS when the organization does not appear to take these significant allegations of against its officers seriously," she wrote in her complaint to the human rights tribunal.
The officer is seeking $805,000 in compensation for harm, loss of income and out-of-pocket medical expenses.
She has also requested the tribunal order the Ottawa Police Service to develop or amend its anti-discrimination policies and procedures and develop or amend internal human rights complaint processes.
"I am angry that I feel forced to choose between my well-being and my job," she wrote. "I love policing work and am distraught by the possibility that I may have to give up on the career that I had dreamed about since I was a child."
