The Sexual Assault Unit is made up of 4 investigators, who are responsible for the entire Niagara Region.  The unit was implemented in November 1986, as a result of recommendations from Justice Campbell's review of the Green Ribbon Task Force.

The Sexual Assault Unit operates in a facility that's separate from normal police functions.  From this location, the Sexual Assault Unit investigates approximately 170-200 sexual assaults per year.   The officers assigned to this unit are responsible for investigating all sexual assaults in the Niagara Region.

The Sexual Assault Unit may act as a resource for District Detective Offices, when requested.  Sexual assaults of people 16 years of age and under are investigated by the Child Abuse Unit.  Under the direction of the Chief of Police or the Chief's designee, the Sexual Assault Unit may conduct other investigations.

The Sexual Assault Unit works closely with the Sexual Assault Treatment Centre, located at the St. Catharines General Hospital, the Niagara Regional Sexual Assault Centre (CARSA), the Crown Attorney's office, and the Victim Witness Assistance Programme.  In working with these organizations, the Sexual Assault Unit has entered into an inter-agency protocol.  The protocol consists of:

• statement and principles
• responsibilities and commitments of each agency
• general intervention principles
• confidentiality clauses
• community resources

Information about the protocol may be accessed by contacting any of the involved agencies.

To initiate a report of a sexual assault to the Niagara Regional Police Service, you should contact the uniform branch that patrols your particular city or town in the Niagara Region, and have a uniform officer attend at your residence to take the initial report.  To view a listing of numbers and contact information for each district of the Niagara Regional Police Service, click HERE.   The report will be forwarded to the Sexual Assault Unit, where a specially trained investigator will conduct a full investigation.

During the course of the investigation, the investigator will obtain a statement from the victim detailing the allegations.  Statements will also be obtained from any witnesses, and any medical evidence or physical evidence will be gathered.  The suspect will also be interviewed, and the investigator will then determine if there is sufficient evidence to lay criminal charges.  The determination to lay criminal charges is solely the responsibility of the investigator.  In the matter of historic sexual assaults, once the investigation is complete, there will be a consultation with the Crown Attorney's office to establish if sufficient grounds exist to lay criminal charges.

If you wish further information about sexual assault, or feel you've been a victim and require further information, please contact the Sexual Assault Unit at (905) 688-4111, Ext. 5100.  You may wish to contact other support services in the Niagara Region for additional information or assistance.  For your assistance, a listing of a number of these agencies are available by clicking HERE.