THIRD PARTY REPORTING
After a sexualized assault, survivors in Dawson City have many options:
Get support from a friend or service. Dawson Women’s Shelter (DWS) is available 24 hours a day to listen and support - 867.993.5086.
Report the assault to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police - RCMP.
Go to the hospital for a physical exam or to have a sexualized assault evidence kit done. If you would like someone to accompany you to the hospital or RCMP detachment, DWS may be able to support you.
Complete a Third Party Report with either DWS or Victim Services.
What is Third Party Reporting?
In a Third Party Report (sometimes called anonymous reporting), the survivor gives information about the sexualized assault to an agency not connected to the RCMP - in Dawson City that’s either DWS or Victim Services.
Third Party Reporting through DWS is an option for survivors of sexualized assault who are 19 years old or older.
What’s the Difference?
When you make a report of a crime to the RCMP, they take an initial report and decide if there is enough evidence to continue with a secondary report and investigation. If they proceed with an investigation, the RCMP officer will decide, sometimes in consultation with the Crown Attorney, if there is enough evidence to lay charges.
With Third Party Reporting, an agency collects the information about the sexualized assault including the time, place, and information about the offender, which is passed on to the RCMP without any information about the survivor. The information provided is entered into a Canadian crime database and may be used in future investigations.
When RCMP receive a Third Party Report, they will not start an investigation.
What’s Involved?
Women and non-binary survivors can make a Third Party Report with trained staff at DWS about what happened and RCMP will receive the information and details without your name or other personal information. Victim Services is able to take Third Party Reports from folks of all genders.
You can tell DWS staff what happened to you. The RCMP will receive the name or description of the person who assaulted you (if they are known to you,) and the details of what happened, without knowing your name. If a survivor who has made a Third Party Report chooses to report directly to the RCMP, it is possible to connect the record of the Third Party Report.
Important Info
Q: How long do I have before deciding if I want to report, either Third Party or directly to the RCMP?
A: In Canada, most sexualized assaults have no statute of limitations - no time limit on when you can report the crime.
Q: How do I know what happened to me was sexualized assault?
A: Minimizing is a common coping strategy for survivors of sexualized assault. Sixty percent of sexualized assaults are ‘unacknowledged’, meaning the survivor does not label the experience as harm or a crime, but as ‘bad sex’ or ‘both people made mistakes’. It’s also normal to not have any memories of the abuse or for memories to come slowly back, even years later.
You get to name your experiences as you want. You can also take into account what the Canadian criminal code defines as sexual assault and what DWS includes when we use the words ‘sexualized violence’ some of which is illegal in Canada, some of which isn’t.
How to Start the Process?
Call DWS (867.993.5086) to make an appointment with a trained staff member to take your report. We can answer any questions you have and try to make the experience as comfortable as possible.
You don’t have to be staying at DWS to make a Third Party Report.
If you’re supporting a friend who was sexually assaulted, you are welcome to call, get support, and find out more details about Third Party Reporting.
What will happen after you make a Third Party Report?
DWS will keep your name confidential and provide the RCMP with information about what happened. The RCMP will not do an investigation unless there is significant concerns for public safety.
People who commit sexualized assault often sexually assault more than one person. If the police get information that the same person who assaulted you assaults someone else, they may contact DWS. DWS will follow up with you to see if you want to share more information with the RCMP.
The decision to talk with RCMP is entirely the survivor’s and DWS will not pressure you.
DWS staff can also offer supportive listening, referrals, information about resources, as well as a follow up phone call or appointment if this is something you would like.
Yukon Resources for Survivors
Dawson Women’s Shelter
DWS supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence while working to prevent abuse through our 24 hour support line, emergency shelter, drop-in services, as well as education and events.
Need support? Whether you are a survivor or supporting a survivor, you can call 24 hours a day - 867.993.5086.
Yukon Victim Services
Victim Services provides help for victims dealing with a range of different crimes. It does not matter whether the victim has reported the crime, a charge has been laid or if there has been a conviction.
Contact:
Dawson City
In person: 813B 3rd Avenue
Phone: 867-993-5831Watson Lake
In person: 820 Adela Trail
Phone: 867-536-2541Whitehorse
In person: 301 Jarvis Street, 2nd floor
Phone: 867-667-8500
Toll free: 1-800-661-0408, extension 8500
Women’s Transition Home
Women’s Transition Home, located in Whitehorse, Yukon, offers refuge for women and their children experiencing violence.
Contact:
24 hour crisis line - 867.668.5733
Help and Hope for Families
Help and Hope for Families serves the community, women and their children, who are living with the impact of violence by providing transition shelter services in Watson Lake, Yukon.
Contact:
24 hour support line - 867.536.7233
Sexualized Assault Response Team
Yukon's Sexualized Assault Response Team (SART) provides a safe and confidential network of services for survivors.
Contact:
24 hour support line - 1.844.967.7275
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
In an emergency, call 911
Click here for contact information for all Yukon RCMP detachments.
Medical Care
After a recent sexualized assault, we recommend having a medical exam, whether at your family doctor, a walk-in clinic, or the emergency room. Depending on what happened during the assault it can be important to have injuries treated or pregnancy and STI testing done.
In Dawson City, you have the option of getting medical care at the Dawson City Community Hospital emergency room or at the Dawson Medical Clinic. Pregnancy and STI testing can be done at the Dawson Public Health Clinic.
If you are interested in having evidence collected after a recent assault, the sexual assault evidence kit can be completed at the Dawson City Community Hospital emergency room.
If you would like a DWS worker to accompany you to the hospital, please call to see if a worker is available - 867.993.5086.
Evidence Collection Kits
Sexualized assault evidence kits involve a medical examination where a doctor or nurse takes your medical history, checks for injury, does an exam, and may keep clothing or bedding as evidence.
Survivors can choose to have evidence collected and then stored if they are unsure whether not sure or not about if they would like to report to the RCMP. yet.
If you choose not to report to RCMP, the evidence will be stored without your name attached for up to six months. If you decide to not to go forward with the legal process the evidence will be destroyed.
If you decide to report to RCMP within six months, the evidence will be shared with the RCMP and used in the investigation. The sexual assault kits are available at Dawson Community Hospital and the Whitehorse General Hospital.
DWS is located in self-governing Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Territory (Dawson City, Yukon).
If you are in Dawson Creek and need support, Mizpah Transition House is the domestic violence shelter in Dawson Creek, BC:
250.782.9176
mizpah@spcrs.ca
Stalking is pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress.