It is entirely your decision to report* sexualized violence to the police. It is not uncommon to have mixed feelings or fear about making a police report. SSAIC can provide you with information and options for reporting.
If you agree to a forensic exam at the hospital, the police will automatically be called to collect the forensic evidence. You can give a statement (detailed information about what happened) while the officer is there at the hospital, or provide your name and contact information so they can be in touch with you later.
For more information on the process, please visit the Saskatoon Police Service website.
If you do not want to make a report now, it is helpful to write down everything that you can remember about what happened to you. There is no statute of limitations on reporting sexual assault—you can report it to the police at any point in the future.
*Exceptions: if a child is in need of protection, you have a duty to report to the Ministry of Social Services. Please review this information for Saskatchewan’s Duty to Report Child Abuse.
Making your statement to the police
A statement is the record of the victim’s complaint. It includes everything a survivor can remember about the assault. The statement is the basis of the police investigation and may be used later in court, so it is important that you answer every question honestly and to the best of your ability.
The police will need to know:
- What happened
- Where and when
- If you do or don’t know the perpetrator, and a description if possible
- Whether a weapon was used
- What the perpetrator(s) said and did
All questions should be answered as accurately and clearly as possible.
Some of the questions may seem strange and embarrassing; however, the police need all the details of the incident. If there are things you cannot remember, it’s OK to say, “I don’t remember” or “I’m not sure”. Remember, the job of police is to investigate all aspects of any complaint.
Where can I make my police report?
An incident of sexual violence must be reported in the municipality (city) where the incident happened.
If the assault took place within the city of Saskatoon, your report must be made at the Saskatoon police station.
If the assault took place outside of the city, contact the appropriate RCMP detachment.
If you are not physically or emotionally well enough to come to the police station, the police will do their best to make other arrangements.
I can barely remember what happened…is it worth reporting?
It is completely normal for survivors of a traumatic experience to have difficulty remembering things in chronological order, or to remember a lot of details. (If you’re interested in the science of trauma, this is a helpful video.) It may help you to write down what you can remember before you make the report.
Remember, there is no statute of limitation on reporting sexual assault, so you can make the report at any time in the future, but it is more difficult to investigate and find evidence for cases reported years after.
Identification of the Suspect
If you do not know the perpetrator, the police may ask you to:
- Look at photographs of possible perpetrators
- View a line-up of people whose features may be similar to those of the perpetrator
- Describe the perpetrator’s features to an artist who will make a drawing from the description
For emotional support, or any other information around reporting to police, contact SSAIC or your local mental health provider.
