HALIFAX -- Police statistics that show only 22 per cent of sexual assault cases in Halifax have led to charges over the last five years are disturbing, says Nova Scotia's justice minister.
Diana Whalen was reacting Thursday to statistics that show less than a quarter of sexual assaults reported to Halifax Regional Police and Halifax RCMP from 2010 to 2015 resulted in charges, while another 73 per cent were closed. Police said five per cent of cases remained open.
"What you are presenting today are disturbing numbers," Whalen told reporters.
"I'd like the people of Nova Scotia to know that we are looking at it, that it is a concern and that we want to create a situation where people will feel safe and supported to come forward."
Whalen said her department is currently looking at how Nova Scotia compares to other provinces in dealing with sexual assault cases.
While not specific about possible steps, Whalen didn't rule out the possibility of looking at a sexual assault court, adding that other specialty courts have already been established for domestic violence, mental health and drug addiction.
"It is something that could be looked at," she said.
Whalen said how people dealing with sexual assault are treated in conventional courts has been a concern of hers over her years in public life.
"It certainly does give me pause to think about it as a women and as a mother."
Theresa Rath, a spokeswoman for the Halifax police, said officers are trained with a victim-centered approach, where officers will drop charges if the person making the allegations requests the investigation be dropped.
"If at any time the victim says they don't wish to continue the police investigation, then we support that with no questions asked," she said.
"That's one possible reason our numbers are a little bit different ... If we were to force things through the court process, we would re-victimize the victim."
Rath also said that another reason cases are dropped is because there isn't sufficient evidence to proceed.
"Sometimes people don't come forward immediately and that can mean a loss of evidence," she said.
Rath said that police are still analyzing the precise reasons for the low number of prosecutions, and hope to produce more complete information in the future.
In Ontario, a $2.8 million pilot project announced for this spring will help survivors of sexual assault gain access to four hours of free legal advice in Toronto, Ottawa and Thunder Bay.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives in Nova Scotia have also introduced a bill that would require a victim of sexual assault to be treated with respect when testifying and also gives them the right to legal representation. Those people who can't afford to prosecute a case would also get some financial help to do so.
Tory Leader Jamie Baillie said the court process isn't a particularly welcoming one to victims of sexual assault and that needs to change.
"This is why so few sexual attacks end up in a conviction and why predators end up back on the streets," said Baillie. "This to me is an issue of fairness to survivors of sexual assault and it's an issue of public safety and we ought to get on with it."
