An active member of the Royal Canadian Navy says he is a survivor of military sexual assault who wants a significant change to come from the report by former Supreme Court Judge Louise Arbor on sexual misconduct in the armed forces.
Army “warriors”, as Arbor has called them, are the main targets of sexual assault and harassment, but men have also faced sexual violence, and this member shares his story for the first time.
“I’m living with the trauma,” said the man, who is a second-class NCO. “I don’t think the Canadian Armed Forces recognizes the traumatic aspect of sexual misconduct.”
CTV News has agreed to protect his identity because he fears retaliation for talking about his experiences.
“The victim is alone in drawing attention to the matter and defending herself,” he said. “Right now I feel like no one is listening to me. What can I do to get people to listen to me?”
He decided to share his story on the same day that Arbor published his long-awaited report on sexual misconduct in the military.
Arbor said that while doing his review he found “a deeply deficient culture” within the military. He also said that the time has come for the body to cede more control to the civilian authorities.
“Despite all the hardships it has caused for decades, the attention this issue has recently drawn presents opportunities for change that could have been unimaginable without a shock to the system.”
The non-commissioned officer said his difficulties began in 2007 while he was doing a routine training course. He said that during a night out with other soldiers, he was drugged and raped.
“There was a place to drink, like a social club or a pub, at the base and I went with some of the other people on the course,” he said. “As if drinking a glass and being completely intoxicated.”
He would later wake up “at the edges of the base” with “pants down.” Shortly afterwards, he said he went to the hospital where he was medically assessed by staff. He also said that instead of informing the military police, he was referred to the base chaplain for support.
“I was even afraid to report it outside the medical community, because the person I think did it was older than me.”
Fearing reprisals, he decided not to file an official complaint. He identifies as gay, and at the time was not fully open about his sexuality. In denouncing the alleged assault, he was concerned that he was being discriminated against and that his military career could be affected.
“I didn’t want to draw attention to my sexuality,” she said. “So with that, I was very ashamed of what happened and how it happened.”
In his report, Arbor said allegations of sexual misconduct, which are usually handled by the chain of command, are often not reported. “Victims distrust the chain of command and therefore do not report. I have felt this mistrust over and over again in the course of my review.”
Army Reserve Officer Sam Samplonius is a survivor of a military sexual assault that helps lead It’s Not Just 20K, a support and advocacy group for victims of sexual misconduct in the military.
“If you have been sexually assaulted, you need to be able to report it and know that something will be done about it,” he said. “There are a lot of people who just don’t trust the system because they’ve reported incidents and fired them.”
Samplonius said she and others have long advocated what she calls a “survivor-centered” approach. He said this means that military leadership must consider how decisions and policies will affect “someone who is thinking about reporting, someone who has reported and someone who is too afraid to report.”
He added that when it comes to changing the way complaints are handled, one of the goals should be to “make it more convenient for the complainant to appear” so that they are not afraid “to affect their professional career, which they are told snitch or ostracism. “
Despite being afraid to appear after his alleged assault, the NCO filed an official complaint in 2019, but it was related to a different incident.
“When I told my commander what happened, he told me to submit a report. I hesitated, but he said he had every right to present me.”
His complaint centered on a claim that he was sexually harassed and harassed online by a member of the Navy who was also a superior. “The officers are supposed to be trusted, so I decided to contact the military police.”
An investigation was launched, but it would take more than two years to reach a conclusion on the matter.
“In the end I was told that the complaint did not reach the criminal threshold,” he said. “Pages and pages of documents filed, along with me repeatedly asking for a resolution, and nothing happened.”
He said the experience destroyed his confidence in the grievance process and in the military as a whole. He also said that both the alleged assault and the sexual harassment left him with a post-traumatic stress disorder.
“The real hypocrisy lies in the treatment of the staff,” he said. “One of our philosophies is to respect the dignity of all people, but you are not respecting the dignity of people when they file complaints of sexual misconduct and nothing happens.”
Arbour’s report lists 48 recommendations for consideration by the federal government, ranging from changes in terminology to procurement goals and improved reporting schemes.
National Defense Minister Anita Anand said Ottawa “accepts” the report in its entirety and is currently in the process of implementing a number of recommendations, including the immediate appointment of an “external monitor” to oversee the execution of the report.
When it comes to Arbour’s report, although the non-commissioned officer would have liked to suggest the creation of a trade union-like professional association, he said he was pleased with most of the recommendations, including the inclusion of a larger civilian role in the army. .
However, he said it all made no sense without action and that “real work” should start now because he said “there has been very little”.
As for his military career, he said he no longer sees a future in the Navy. Like so many others, he now seeks to leave and seeks medical discharge.