Brigadier-General Simon Trudeau, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM), officially announced the launch of the Sexual Assault Review Program (SARP) on November 20.

“The Sexual Assault Review Program will provide another means by which the Canadian Forces Military Police continue to enhance the professional police service being provided to the DND/CAF community. It also ensures that our sexual assault investigative standards are to the highest levels,” said BGen Trudeau.

SARP will see the implementation of an open and transparent case review mechanism of unfounded sexual assault files investigated by the Military Police. It will assemble an external review team that includes stakeholders and representatives of the civilian community and the Defence Team, including:

• A victim advocate from Ontario
• A victim service/support representative from the Sexual Misconduct Response Center (SMRC)
• A sexual assault nurse examiner with the Canadian Forces Health Services
• A civilian prosecutor from Ottawa
• A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on secondment to the Canadian Forces National Investigative Service (CFNIS)
• A member of the CFNIS

The external review team will conduct an annual review of all unfounded sexual assault investigations from the previous year. They will report their findings to the CFPM and make recommendations as to the conduct of the investigations, identifying policy, training or best practice proposals for consideration.

The Team will hold their introductory meeting in December 2018, in Ottawa, where they will undergo orientation training and commence their review of 179 unfounded sexual assault investigative files from 2010 to 2016.

Any member who has experienced or witnessed harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour of any kind in the Canadian Armed Forces has a range of options. For more information regarding available services, please visit the Operation HONOUR website.