NCJ Number
142607
Date Published
1989
Length
134 pages
Annotation
This study aimed to create a database of information related to the nature and character of sexual assault in Toronto and to provide timely and meaningful information to policymakers. The Project Advisory Committee of the Metro Action Committee Against Violence Against Women and Children, formed in cooperation with the Metro Toronto Police Force and the Canadian Ministry of the Solicitor General, was largely responsible for deciding on the study design, respondent confidentiality, questionnaire construction, and solution to various issues relating to implementation and progress of the study.
Abstract
The data for the study were obtained through police occurrence reports, records of arrest, court outcomes, and interviews with women who were sexually assaulted. The report outlines the various categories of sexual assault that are contained within the three-tiered definition established by the Canadian criminal code. Factors that contributed to the outcomes of police investigations into the 2,549 cases of sexual assault examined here are discussed -- type of offense, presence of a weapon, time lapse from occurrence to reporting, location and time of the attack, and relationship between the victim and assailant. Findings extracted from the database regarding the nature and characteristics of sexual assault in Toronto are presented. Subsequent chapters discuss situational characteristics among women who were sexually assaulted and offender profiles. The final chapters explore the informal and formal service networks available to victims of sexual assault in Toronto and the victims' perceptions of police response and court outcomes related to their experiences. 36 tables, 9 figures, and 1 appendix