1. VAW Advocate Case Review
CAPG Annual Conference
VAW Advocate Case Review
implementing “The Philly Model” in Canada
Sunny Marriner
VACR Project Lead
Executive Director Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre

2. The Best Kept Secret in Canada: SACs
1974: Independent, community-run, confidential centres for survivors of all sexual violence
Function independently of the Criminal Justice System, hospitals, or institutional victim services
Provide support, groups, crisis lines, accompaniment, public education, and advocacy
See ANY survivor (95% unreported, 5 % reported – child sexual abuse, adult SA, rape, sexual harassment
Dual goal of advocating for systemic change and equality rights under the Charter

3. 45 YEARS OF REFORMS: WHAT HAVE WE DONE?
REFORM EFFORTS
AWARENESS: Media, Education
INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY: Case-by-Case
TRAINING OFFICERS: Person-by-Person
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES: Case-by-Case
RESEARCH, REPORTS, WHITE PAPERS
CONSULTATION: Describing the Problem
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: Individuals, tables
45 YEARS OF REFORMS: WHAT HAVE WE DONE?
© Sunny Marriner. All Rights Reserved.
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre
Contact for permission.

4. Review of Efforts: What Does It Show?
Individually-Driven, not Systemic
Oversight mechanisms don’t match goals; only triggered when individuals have the strength and the will to complain (70-90% will not)
Non-measurable – not tied to outcomes
Work-Intensive without evaluation of effectiveness
Relationship Dependent:
When principals change advances can disappear
Don’t Leverage Expertise
Police = 5-10% cross-section: Frontline SACS = 100% cross-section
Lack Independence
Close relationships are important, but they also can stifle honest critique
© Sunny Marriner. All Rights Reserved.
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre
Contact for permission.
Sunny Marriner – Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre

5. What Happened In Philly?
1989 – FBI Contacts Philly SVU about high unfounded rates
 Philly Unfounded Rates drop from 50% to 18%
1999 – Philadelphia Enquirer Links Homicide to Uninvestigated Philly Rape Reports
 Commissioner Timoney Orders Internal Review of Cases Within 6 yr S.O.L.
 Determines over 50% of non-criminal/unfounded were rapes, 1/3 were other sex crimes
1999 – Commissioner Timoney asks local VAW Advocates to review files annually going forward
 Women’s Law Project (local VAW legal Advocacy org)
 Women Organized Against Rape (local Rape Crisis Centre)
 Two Child Advocate Centres

6. Why is Philly Unique Among Case Reviews?
1. Right Material to Review
2. Right People to Review It
Reliable outcomes require review of the same information the officer evaluated when they made their RPG decision
Unredacted
All victim/witness statements
Officer Will Says/Occurrence Reports
VAW subject matter experts from the home community who work directly with survivors
Independent
Non-institutional (advocate as well as service)
Accountable directly to survivors
© Sunny Marriner. All Rights Reserved.
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre
Contact for permission.
3. REVIEW IS ON-GOING (E.G. ANNUAL, QUARTERLY, BI-MONTHLY…)

7. VAW ADVOCATE CASE REVIEW (VACR): The Benefit Cycle
More Charges, Fewer Perpetrators At Large
Stronger Investigations --> Improved Prospect of Conviction
On-going & Applied Training
Measurable, Evidence-Based, Trackable
Improved Collaboration Between Partners
Improved Confidence in Police
Systemic. Institutional Change
VAW ADVOCATE CASE REVIEW (VACR): The Benefit Cycle
© Sunny Marriner. All Rights Reserved.
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre
Contact for permission.

8. Improving Accountability in Institutional Responses to VAW
3 YEAR PROJECT
GOAL: To implement Philadelphia Model reviews in pilot communities across Canada
Started with 4 communities/cities
1 year in we have nine pilots sites, and growing
Expanded the goal to at least one city in every province/territory
Improving Accountability in Institutional Responses to VAW
© S. Marriner 2018 – ORCC

9. How Does it Work?
REVIEW TEAMS: Approx. 6 people – each reviewer gets their own files
FREQUENCY: Quarterly – reviewing cases not cleared by charge in previous quarter
METHOD: Directly in RMS (Niche, Versadex)
DURATION: Approximately 3 days
FEEDBACK: Reviewers highlight individual cases with issues & trends observed
OUTCOME: Operational feedback, rectification of problems early
EMBEDDING: Becomes standard operating procedure (SOP) in sexual assaults

10. Part of the Investigative Chain
Report
Investigation
Clearance
Review
© Sunny Marriner. All Rights Reserved.
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre
Contact for permission.

11. PILOT SITES….(so far…!) Barrie, ON Halton, ON Calgary, AB
Stratford, ON
Kingston, ON
Ottawa, ON
London, ON
Timmins, ON
Peterborough, ON
Barrie, ON
Halton, ON
Calgary, AB

12. Communities on the way…
Regina, SASK
Hamilton, ON
Sudbury, ON
North Bay, ON
Brantford, ON
Community X, SASK
Community Y, YT