Reporting sex assault within Vancouver police ranks came with stigma and career setbacks, survivor says
Warning: This story contains disturbing details
Watching former Vancouver police officer Jagraj Berar taken out of court in handcuffs was a satisfying moment for the colleague he sexually assaulted three years ago – but getting justice came with a price.
The survivor, who can't be named due to a publication ban in the case, said she reported Berar's attack knowing she would likely face repercussions, including stigma at work and setbacks to her policing career.
"Every woman who's a victim within policing knows that it's a nail in your career's coffin," she told reporters outside court Thursday.
"But I knew I had to take a predator and put him in the right place."
After she came forward, some of her coworkers at the Vancouver Police Department believed "adamantly" that she was lying, the survivor said, and those who supported her only did so in private.
While she awaited Berar's trial, she kept her head up and continued to do her job.
"I go to work because it's what I've wanted to do since I was a kid," she said. "I'm not going to give up my career because I was the victim of a crime."
Her assault took place in a Whistler hotel suite back in 2019, while a number of VPD members were in the resort community for a golf tournament.
A group of officers were drinking one night, and the woman became intoxicated. She testified that she threw up and blacked out, then awoke to Berar performing oral sex on her.
The judge noted that Berar had some experience with sexual assault cases, and should have understood his victim would have been incapable of giving consent.
On Thursday, Berar was sentenced to one year behind bars, ordered to provide a DNA sample, and told he would be placed on the provincial sex offender registry for 10 years.
"That'll never be enough for me," the survivor said of the punishment handed down. "But at least it sends a message that there is a consequence to your actions."
She told CTV News she believes there are other police officers who have been sexually assaulted but feel too afraid to report their attacks. While she understands their hesitation – she agonized for days before deciding to come forward herself – she thinks the more survivors seek justice, the easier it will be for all of them.
"I wish they would step up because there is power in numbers, and those numbers are there," she said.
"I would stand right next to them. I will walk them through the process. I'll do whatever they need of me, 100 per cent. It's not an easy road, but it can be done."
Susan Rabichuk, a former police officer turned PhD student focusing on police culture and the intersections of mental health, trauma and gender-based violence against female officers, said the current systems for reporting a crime make it challenging for victims to come forward.
"The way the system is set up, is that it funnels women into a labour process instead of being able to come forward as a victim of crime," Rabichuk explained. "They have to go through a grievance process, so it makes it very difficult for them to receive justice in that sometimes the investigation doesn’t even happen, it gets swept under the rug."
In this case, Rabichuk believes a criminal investigation was launched because the victim reported it to a different police force, since it happened out of town.
"I don't think police can investigate themselves," she said. "What does it say to the public if male officers are sexually assaulting female officers? What does that tell the public? They want to keep that closed; they don’t want that narrative out there."
She said there needs to be systemic changes, including providing better privacy policies for victims, tracking officers who have any allegations against them, tracking supervisors who fail to respond to complaints, eliminating non-disclosure agreements that victims are sometimes asked to sign, and providing workers' compensation for victims who experience violence or retaliation for coming forward.
Asked for a response to staff who might feel hesitant to report sexual assault, the Vancouver Police Department noted it took "immediate action" after learning of the allegations against Berar, which included suspending him from duty. He no longer works for the department.
In an email, a spokesperson pointed to the VPD's Respectful Workplace Policy, which all employees are expected to follow.
The policy states that "no person shall be penalized, reprimanded, or criticized, when acting in good faith, for bringing forward a complaint, providing information related to workplace issues, or for when attempting to establish or ensure a respectful workplace environment."
"Everyone deserves to work in a safe and respectful environment," the spokesperson said.
The woman who was assaulted by Berar said the stigma remains, and that she experienced it first-hand. She's still glad she decided to hold him accountable.
"I just watched him go away in handcuffs," she said. "I regret nothing."
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Regan Hasegawa and Kendra Mangione
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