Sault Police accepting sexual assault reports online

The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service is now accepting sexual assault reports online.

This is a new initiative for the Sault Police, and it comes after consultations with victim support groups such as Victim Services of Algoma and Women in Crisis.

Sault Police say this new reporting tool is designed to give sexual assault victims an alternative to filing a report in-person at the police station.

“Reporting something online provides the victim a little bit of anonymity,” said Sault Police spokesman Lincoln Louttit. “They don’t have to share their story multiple times with multiple officers.”

Robin Kerr, Executive Director of Victim Services of Algoma, says sexual assault is among the toughest crimes for victims to come forward about.

“Having this opportunity to first report it, giving them some anonymity, is going to help them get some confidence and built a rapport with the police officer that’s specifically going to be designated to them,” said Kerr. “So then they’ll start to feel that comfort level and know that they have the trust that they can share that information with.”

Kerr says her organizations typically deals with up to 80 sexual assault victims annually, and that only takes into account individuals who come forward.

Meantime, Sault Police offers a number of other online reporting tools for other crimes, such as theft and property damage. People can also register their bicycles on the Sault Police website.

Sault Police are exploring other possibilities for online reporting. However, they say if a person is in immediate danger, they should not report it online or on social media - but instead should call 911.