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鈥檚 making, she still feels unheard.

As first reported in the 琉璃神社 on Oct. 25, Statistics Canada data shows the 琉璃神社 RCMP deemed almost 40 per cent of sexual assault reports as 鈥渦nfounded鈥� 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 琉璃神社 RCMP and the City of 琉璃神社 are 鈥渟teeped in rape culture.鈥�

In an endeavour to bring the breadth of her disdain to the attention of city officials 鈥� specifically Mayor Colin Basran 鈥� 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 鈥渕an who protects rapists because he won鈥檛 call out the RCMP.鈥�

READ MORE: 琉璃神社 RCMP vow to review 鈥榰nfounded鈥� sexual assault cases

READ MORE: 鈥楽teeped in rape culture鈥�: Sexual assault survivor speaks out against 琉璃神社 RCMP

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

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have anything further to add except that I鈥檓 pleased that the RCMP鈥檚 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,鈥� said Mayor Colin Basran.

鈥淭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.鈥�

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

鈥淪ay that to our faces,鈥� she said.

鈥淚鈥檓 just here to protest because I actually want Colin Basran to have the courage to come say to my face that he鈥檚 100 per cent confident in the RCMP. Say that to the 40 per cent.鈥�

According to Friesen, Basran is complicit in the city鈥檚 looming rape culture because he doesn鈥檛 understand it as he is in a position of privilege.

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

鈥淗e鈥檚 protected; the people he loves are protected. Those of us who don鈥檛 have his privilege won鈥檛 get taken seriously.

鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 want to get it because he鈥檒l lose votes; he鈥檒l lose (the RCMP鈥檚) votes.鈥�

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

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

鈥淚 need some clarity, I need some explanation, I need to know why these cases were left unfounded.鈥�

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

鈥淚 want to know why the stats are so high and what the cause is,鈥� she said.

鈥淚鈥檓 very worried about the situation.鈥�

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

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

鈥淲e understand that there are many questions about the roots of these statistics, and we鈥檙e taking immediate steps to get answers,鈥� said Cpl. Meghan Foster.

鈥淭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 鈥� each investigation is different and we do not want to deter any other survivors from bravely coming forward to report a sexual assault.鈥�

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

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .