As of January 1 2008, Winnipeg Police Services’ CrimeStat service changed the definition of sexual assault to “ an offence that combines the components of assault with circumstances of a sexual nature where the suspect is not known to the victim ” (emphasis added) from the definition based on the Criminal Code which includes sexual assaults where the suspect is known or unknown to the victim. Since over 78% of assault in Winnipeg is perpetrated by a suspect known to the victim (Statistic found in “Mean Streets?” Comak, Chopyk and Wood, p.7).This change is not in line with Crimestat’s stated principles of disseminating accurate information and promoting transparency and accountability. Winnipeg is the only Canadian city which reports on sexual assaults in this way (As reported by Gabrielle Giroday in the article “ Board wants police website to report all sexual assaults” in the Winnipeg Free Press, May 29, 2009)

We the undersigned, demand that Crimestat and Winnipeg Police Services restore the original definition to include those sexual assaults perpetrated by someone known to the victim. We believe that finding holistic and effective solutions to domestic and sexual abuse begins with being given accurate information.

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