Heather Friesen has never been one to keep quiet.

Now, with her story and message being broadcast nationwide over various mediums, she is louder than ever.

But despite all of the noise she乌鸦传媒檚 making, she still feels unheard.

As first reported in the 乌鸦传媒 on Oct. 25, Statistics Canada data shows the Kelowna RCMP deemed almost 40 per cent of sexual assault reports as 乌鸦传媒渦nfounded乌鸦传媒� in 2018.

Since then, Friesen, who was allegedly gang raped when she was 15 years old, has been on a warpath, saying that both the Kelowna RCMP and the City of Kelowna are 乌鸦传媒渟teeped in rape culture.乌鸦传媒�

In an endeavour to bring the breadth of her disdain to the attention of city officials 乌鸦传媒� specifically Mayor Colin Basran 乌鸦传媒� she staged her own one-person protest in front of city hall on Thursday morning (Nov. 14). She spent the morning leaving flyers on vehicles around city hall which called out the mayor for being a 乌鸦传媒渕an who protects rapists because he won乌鸦传媒檛 call out the RCMP.乌鸦传媒�

READ MORE: Kelowna RCMP vow to review 乌鸦传媒榰nfounded乌鸦传媒� sexual assault cases

READ MORE: 乌鸦传媒楽teeped in rape culture乌鸦传媒�: Sexual assault survivor speaks out against Kelowna RCMP

In particular, Friesen has taken issue with the mayor乌鸦传媒檚 response to the statistics, in which he cited his confidence in the local RCMP.

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 have anything further to add except that I乌鸦传媒檓 pleased that the RCMP乌鸦传媒檚 Sexual Assault Review Team is taking a further look at all the files to determine if a course correction is needed as it relates to sex-assault complaints,乌鸦传媒� said Mayor Colin Basran.

乌鸦传媒淭hrough these actions, I have complete confidence our detachment is taking this matter seriously. I want to be clear that the RCMP operates independently of the city and this is an RCMP matter. Any further questions should be directed to the RCMP detachment.乌鸦传媒�

The mayor乌鸦传媒檚 confidence in local RCMP is, in Friesen乌鸦传媒檚 view, a sign of the mayor乌鸦传媒檚 direct support for the officers who asked her if she consented to be raped and another survivor who was asked if she enjoyed it.

乌鸦传媒淪ay that to our faces,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 just here to protest because I actually want Colin Basran to have the courage to come say to my face that he乌鸦传媒檚 100 per cent confident in the RCMP. Say that to the 40 per cent.乌鸦传媒�

According to Friesen, Basran is complicit in the city乌鸦传媒檚 looming rape culture because he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 understand it as he is in a position of privilege.

乌鸦传媒淎nyone that he knows who gets raped, the RCMP will take it seriously,乌鸦传媒� she said while standing outside of city hall, still holding about half of the 200 flyers she乌鸦传媒檇 brought with her.

乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 protected; the people he loves are protected. Those of us who don乌鸦传媒檛 have his privilege won乌鸦传媒檛 get taken seriously.

乌鸦传媒淗e doesn乌鸦传媒檛 want to get it because he乌鸦传媒檒l lose votes; he乌鸦传媒檒l lose (the RCMP乌鸦传媒檚) votes.乌鸦传媒�

While Basran has expressed his confidence in the RCMP, one of his councillors is less supportive about the situation.

乌鸦传媒淚 have a lot of regard and faith in our local RCMP. Having said that, the stats are very, very worrisome 乌鸦传媒� whichever way you look at it,乌鸦传媒� said Coun. Mohini Singh.

乌鸦传媒淚 need some clarity, I need some explanation, I need to know why these cases were left unfounded.乌鸦传媒�

Singh added she has a teenage daughter and she wants to make sure the city is safe for our girls and our boys.

乌鸦传媒淚 want to know why the stats are so high and what the cause is,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 very worried about the situation.乌鸦传媒�

Singh said she乌鸦传媒檚 looking forward to a report from the RCMP乌鸦传媒檚 Sexual Assault Review Team to provide clarity on the issue.

In a Nov. 8 statement, the Kelowna RCMP said it could not provide an explanation as to why so many cases were deemed unfounded.

乌鸦传媒淲e understand that there are many questions about the roots of these statistics, and we乌鸦传媒檙e taking immediate steps to get answers,乌鸦传媒� said Cpl. Meghan Foster.

乌鸦传媒淭he BC RCMP has conducted a preliminary review of these files, but we are currently not in a position to provide specific examples of why any of these investigations were deemed unfounded. For every investigation, there are many variables 乌鸦传媒� each investigation is different and we do not want to deter any other survivors from bravely coming forward to report a sexual assault.乌鸦传媒�

The RCMP has not given a timeline as to when the Sexual Assault Review Team乌鸦传媒檚 investigation will be completed.

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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