Thread by @meagwalshrus

TW: sexual assault
While out today, my partner and I partially witnessed a sexual assault on mission in #yyc. It happened in broad daylight, with many people around. I want to talk about @CalgaryPolice’s completely inadequate response.

Actually, inadequate seems too kind. But I’ll get into that. A woman was walking across the street when I heard a scream, and saw a white pickup truck speed away. She immediately called the police, and I went over to be with her.

As she’s on the phone with the police, I ask her if she’s okay, and if it would be alright if I stood with her. She appreciated it & I remained by her side while she was on the phone with 911. She gives them the license plate (incredible that she got it) & explains what happened.

The dispatcher told her that a police car would be arriving and they would be able to take her home. She was terrified (of course). After 20 minutes, the dispatcher asked if they could take other calls while she waited for the police. She said, “I guess?”

I mean… not the thing you want to hear in that moment, but she tried to be understanding and hung up, and we proceeded to talk and wait. In that time, she calls a friend and asks them to come to where she is.

45 minutes after the initial call, a police officer calls her and asks if they can “do this over the phone”. She put the call on speaker phone (so yes, I do know for a fact that this happened).

A woman was just sexually assaulted, is alone, terrified and traumatized, told that someone would come, and that was the question asked. She says, “I thought someone was coming?!” to which the police officer begins to mansplain how calling 911 works.

He states that he has just started his shift, comes up with excuses as to why no one has arrived, says “well, I can come??”… it was absolutely unreal to witness. He had never handled a sexual assault call before, nor had he received training. I can confidently say that.

This woman has just been completely traumatized, and now she’s put in a situation where she needs to argue with police. She called for help, received none, and is made to feel like it’s her fault that no one has come to help.

Her friend arrived in 3 minutes and she went home safely with them. Albeit, distraught and exhausted by the ordeal. This was roughly 1 hour after the incident. What a disgusting experience through and through.

So, @CalgaryPolice, when a woman is assaulted in broad daylight, are we supposed to call you? Or is it better if we call a friend? It’s weird because walking home from the incident, I saw many police cars on the road.

The system is beyond broken. A woman should not, under any circumstances, be made to stand outside alone while waiting for police after a sexual assault, only for no one to show up.

Not only that, but to then be belittled and condescended when rightfully questioning the process and why no one has shown up. I still can’t actually believe the words I heard on the phone.

She actually had to say, “I get that I’m not a priority, but I just want to go home.” I am so sad. An absolute failure for CPS.