P.E.I. parties working together to end drink spiking

A report from the P.E.I. Legislature's standing committee on social development regarding drink spiking was an example of all parties working together to deal with a serious issue, says the committee chair.

The committee's work followed a CBC investigation last fall about women having their drinks spiked in Charlottetown.

"We all want to work together. It's a collaborative report, so we're looking forward to [government] taking this report seriously and making some change," said the committee's chair, Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly.

"Sitting through those meetings, and I think the committee would agree, was difficult. The topic was difficult. We don't want people to do anything to harm others and to take advantage of somebody when they're just trying to go out with their friends and have a good time. This is a serious matter and we have to be better."

The report, tabled in the legislature Tuesday, includes six recommendations.

• Implement mandatory training in a trauma-informed approach for first responders. 
• Explore implementing mandatory reporting for suspected cases of drug-facilitated sexual assault from hospital staff to police services.
• Research options for implementing a court that specializes in cases of sexual and domestic violence.
• Collaborate with municipal and federal policing partners to recruit and retain gender-diverse police officers.
• Continue support for the P.E.I. Rape and Sexual Assault Centre to ensure that survivors of sexual assault have ready access.
• Create education and public awareness campaigns on the prevention of drug-facilitated sexual assault and how to best respond in the event of a suspected case of drug-facilitated sexual assault.

"There's not enough female police officers," said McNeilly.

"Let's say something happens and you have to deliver a statement. If you're female, at that time you want to be talking to a female, or someone who can sympathize and empathize with you."

McNeilly acknowledged there may be some issues with some of the recommendations — for example, privacy implications of mandatory reporting of incidents by hospital staff would have to be considered — but said it is important for government to explore all of the recommendations thoroughly.