Sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force, 2018

Sexual misconduct, which encompasses a broad spectrum of behaviours ranging from inappropriate or unwanted jokes or comments to sexual assault, is a problem faced by many organizations. These behaviours, which generally tend to target or impact women more so than men, have also been the focus of global campaigns or movements, such as #MeToo, which have helped to bring greater attention and awareness to these behaviours. Another impact has been greater discussions around how best to prevent these behaviours and support those who have been victimized or affected – both inside and outside the workplace.

One such organization which has recognized and begun to address this issue is the Canadian military. Following an independent external review on sexual misconduct and sexual harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) (Deschamps 2015), which found a sexualized culture that is hostile to many members – but in particular those who are women, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender— the CAF developed Operation HONOUR in August 2015 as a whole-of-service response. 

Operation HONOUR’s implementation has led to numerous changes in the CAF. For example, new types of training and education have been designed, implemented, and made available across the CAF, and many policy changes relating to diversity, harassment, and inappropriate sexual behaviour have been introduced for supervisors, victims, Military Police, the chain of command, and CAF members in general (Department of National Defence 2017). This process is still ongoing: a recent report by the Auditor General found several key areas where CAF could improve their delivery of services to those affected and adapt an approach that is more victim-centered, making recommendations that were accepted by the CAF and will be implemented moving forward (Office of the Auditor General of Canada 2018).

Another facet of Operation HONOUR was a commitment to collect reliable data on members’ experiences and perceptions of sexual misconduct in the military workplace. To that end, Statistics Canada was contracted to design and implement a voluntary survey of all active CAF members: the Survey of Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces (SSMCAF).

Results from the first SSMCAF in 2016 found that 80% of current Regular Force members had witnessed or experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour, while 17% stated that they were personally targeted by these types of behaviours in the previous 12 months (Cotter 2016). Furthermore, 1.7% were victims of sexual assault committed in the military workplace or by another military member. In all three cases, the prevalence was higher among women than men, findings which are consistent with Canadian and international research and surveys in the military context, which have shown that women in male-dominated institutions tend to be at greater risk of such experiences (Castro et al. 2015; LeBlanc and Coulthard 2015; Office of People Analytics 2017).^Note 

Results from the first administration of the SSMCAF were critical in determining the overall prevalence of sexual misconduct as well as establishing a baseline estimate to measure whether programs were effective in bringing about a change in the prevalence of certain behaviours and the perceptions of the culture in which they occurred. At the same time, it was also recognized that a one-time snapshot would not be sufficient and that regular and ongoing data collection would be essential in order to monitor progress and changes over time.

For that reason, active members of the Regular Force and the Primary Reserve were invited to participate in the second administration of the SSMCAF, which was collected from September to November 2018. The questionnaire included many of the same questions to allow for analysis of changes in the military workplace and in members’ experiences and perceptions since the first administration. Some key additions were also made – namely, questions on actions taken by those who witnessed other CAF members being targeted by sexualized or discriminatory behaviour. In the second administration of the SSMCAF, additional questions on the effectiveness of Operation HONOUR were added. When the SSMCAF was first administered, Operation HONOUR had existed for just under one year.

This report focuses on findings from the Regular Force, with results analyzed by gender, environmental command, age, rank, and other factors, wherever possible.^Note  In all, responses were received from more than 36,000 active members of the Regular Force and the Primary Reserve. These responses were weighted so as to represent the entire population of active Regular Force members (approximately 56,000) and Primary Reservists (approximately 27,600) (see Methodology and data sources). It is worth noting that, as was the case with the 2016 survey, the findings presented in this report represent only the perceptions and experiences of active Regular Force members^Note  and do not include members who have left the CAF for any reason.

For information on Primary Reserve members, see Sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserve, 2018 (Burczycka 2019).

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Section 1: Sexual assault

Sexual assault more prevalent among women in the Regular Force

While the Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces (SSMCAF) asks about a continuum of behaviours, ranging from sexual jokes to sexual assault, sexual assault is the most serious behaviour examined in the survey and in general is one of the most serious violent crimes. Respondents were asked if, in the 12 months preceding the survey, they had been sexually attacked, experienced unwanted sexual touching, or had been subjected to sexual activity to which they were unable to consent in the military workplace or involving military members (Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) or foreign), Department of National Defence (DND) civilians, or contractors.

Overall, in 2018, 900 Regular Force members, or 1.6%, stated that they were victims of sexual assault in the military workplace or involving military members in the 12 months preceding the survey. This was not statistically different from 2016 (1.7%) (Chart 1).^Note Note 

As is the case among the general population, and as was found by the first cycle of the SSMCAF, the prevalence of sexual assault was higher among women than among men (Table 1). Approximately 340 women were sexually assaulted in the 12 months preceding the survey, representing 4.3% of all women in the Regular Force. This proportion was not statistically different from 2016 (4.8%). Among men in the Regular Force, 1.1% reported that they had been sexually assaulted in the military workplace in the past 12 months, similar to 2016 (1.2%).^Note 

Unwanted sexual touching most common form of sexual assault

Reflecting what was seen in the 2016 SSMCAF, and what is generally found in other Canadian surveys outside of the military context^Note , the most common type of sexual assault experienced by Regular Force members was unwanted sexual touching (1.4%, or 88% of incidents). Sexual attacks (0.2%) and sexual activity where unable to consent (0.2%) were comparatively less common (Table 1). Again, these proportions were not statistically different from 2016.

The prevalence of sexual assault was higher among Primary Reserve members than it was among Regular Force members (2.2% versus 1.6%). That said, similar trends were evident in that the proportion of Primary Reservists who were sexually assaulted was unchanged from 2016, unwanted sexual touching was the most common form of sexual assault, and women were more likely to have been victims than were men (7% versus 1%). For more information on sexual assault among Primary Reservists, see Burczycka (2019).

Sexual assault more prevalent among Indigenous members, persons with disabilities, younger members

In addition to the differences noted between men and women, many other characteristics were associated with a higher prevalence of sexual assault (Table 2). Of note, 3.0% of Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit)^Note  members and 3.0% of members with disabilities had been sexually assaulted in the previous 12 months, about twice the prevalence among non-Indigenous members (1.5%) or members without disabilities (1.5%).  

In addition, prevalence decreased with age, with 3.9% of those 24 years of age or younger having been sexually assaulted in the past 12 months, declining to less than one percent of Regular Force members who were 45 to 49 years old (0.8%) or 50 years of age and older (0.6%).

For the most part, these findings align with what is seen among the general population, where younger Canadians, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities are all at higher risk of sexual assault (Conroy and Cotter 2017). These findings also reflect what was found in the 2016 SSMCAF (Cotter 2016).

Prevalence of sexual assault declined among certain groups

There were changes in prevalence among certain populations, when compared with 2016. Declines were noted among several specific groups of women: Senior Non-Commissioned Members, members serving in the Military Personnel Command, non-Indigenous members, non-visible minorities, and persons without disabilities.

In contrast, the most notable increase was among women aged 24 and younger, where the proportion who had been sexually assaulted in the past 12 months rose from 10% in 2016 to 15% in 2018.

Among men who were sexually assaulted, the only changes since 2016 were a slight increase in the number of Senior Non-Commissioned Members (from 0.5% to 0.7%) and a decline among those aged 25 to 29 years (from 2.1% to 1.6%).

Little change in characteristics of perpetrators of sexual assault

Just as the overall prevalence of sexual assault did not change between 2016 and 2018, the characteristics of the perpetrators of sexual assaults against Regular Force members did not differ considerably in 2018 when compared to 2016. As was the case in 2016, the majority of victims indicated that the perpetrators were members of the CAF, typically acting alone, and more commonly men and Junior Non-Commissioned Members (Table 3).

Nine in ten (91%) perpetrators were CAF members, regardless of the gender of the victim. Relatively smaller proportions were Department of National Defence (DND) civilians or contractors (8%) or foreign military members (6%^E).^Note 

There was an increase in the proportion of incidents involving a lone perpetrator (from 71% to 79%). This increase was noted among both women and men, though the increase was larger among men (from 61% to 73%, compared to 85% to 90% among women). That said, women remained more likely to have been assaulted by a perpetrator acting alone.

While overall two-thirds (66%) of victims said that the perpetrators were always men – and a further 11% of victims stated that their assault involved both male and female perpetrators – there was a considerable divide depending on the gender of the victim. Half (49%) of men who were victims reported that their assailant was a man; however, this was the case for 94% of women. One in three (34%) men who were victims stated the perpetrator was a woman.^Note  These findings are similar to what was observed in 2016.

Sexual assaults committed against women by a superior decline

Just over half (52%) of all Regular Force members who were sexually assaulted stated that the person responsible was a peer, the most common relationship cited by both men (54%) and women (47%) who were victims.^Note 

Similar proportions of women and men in the Regular Force stated that a supervisor or someone of higher rank was the perpetrator (38% and 34%, respectively). This marked a notable difference from 2016, when the most common perpetrator-victim relationship among women was a supervisor or someone of a higher rank, cited by half (49%) of those who were sexually assaulted. There were 130 women in the Regular Force who were sexually assaulted by a supervisor or someone of a higher rank in 2018, down from 180 in 2016. The proportion of men citing a supervisor or someone of a higher rank as the perpetrator was unchanged.

Overall, about one in five victims stated that a subordinate (inside or outside the chain of command) was a perpetrator. This was slightly more common among men (22%) than women (16%).

Military base, wing, or formation most common location of sexual assault

In total, 87% of Regular Force members who had been sexually assaulted in the past 12 months stated that at least one incident took place in the military workplace. This was the case for 88% of Regular Force members who experienced unwanted sexual touching, 80% who were sexually attacked, and 74% who were subjected to sexual activity to which they were unable to consent.

More specifically, 55% of victims stated that an incident occurred on a military base, wing, or formation. The next most common locations identified by victims were the mess (18%), barracks or single quarters (13%), or on a ship at sea or in port (12%).

Almost four in ten (37%) victims stated that at least one incident of sexual assault took place outside of the military workplace but involved other military members. Roughly half of Regular Force members who were sexually attacked (54%) or were subjected to sexual activity to which they were unable to consent (49%) stated that this was the case, compared with about 35% of those who experienced unwanted sexual touching.

About half (47%) of women who were sexually assaulted believed that the sexual assault was related to the perpetrator’s alcohol or drug use^Note , compared with one-third (33%) of men. Furthermore, 18% of women and 16% of men said that they did not know if their sexual assault was related to the perpetrator’s alcohol or drug use, proportions that were not significantly different.

About four in ten Regular Force members who were sexually attacked (41%) or experienced unwanted sexual touching (36%) believed the perpetrator’s alcohol or drug use was a factor in the assault, as did almost half (47%) of those who were subjected to sexual activity to which they were unable to consent.

One in four victims reported a sexual assault to someone in authority, unchanged from 2016

Overall, 25% of all Regular Force members who were sexually assaulted in the workplace brought it to the attention of someone in authority, while 57% did not report it to anyone in authority and 17% were unsure if anyone in authority found out about the incident(s) in any way. These proportions were unchanged from 2016.

As was the case in 2016, women who were victims were more likely to report at least one incident of sexual assault to someone in authority than were men (34% versus 19%). Compared with 2016, there were no changes in the proportion of women or men who stated that incidents were brought to the attention of someone in authority.  

Sexual attacks were most likely to have been reported to someone in authority, with 37% of victims of a sexual attack having done so. Unwanted sexual touching (24%) and sexual activity where unable to consent (18%^E) were less frequently brought to the attention of someone in authority. These proportions were not statistically different from what was found in 2016 (35%, 21%, and 21%, respectively).

The 12-month reference period covered by the SSMCAF likely has an influence on the prevalence of reporting sexual assault to someone in authority. Among the general population, victims of sexual assault are more likely than victims of other types of violent crime to delay reporting their victimization to police, sometimes for periods of over one year (Rotenberg 2017).  

Sexual assault most commonly reported to military supervisor

The most common authority figure to have been made aware of a sexual assault was the victim’s military supervisor, identified by about one in five (22%) Regular Force members who were victims. A military member other than the victim’s supervisor but within the chain of command was the next most common (13%). About one in ten (9%) Regular Force members stated that at least one incident came to the attention of the Military Police or the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS).^Note  The proportion of women who said that the Military Police or CFNIS found out about their assault was about twice that of men (13% versus 6%^E). These proportions are consistent with what was seen in 2016.

Of those who reported to the Military Police or CFNIS, 44% were satisfied with the actions taken, while this was the case for 40% of those who reported to someone in authority other than the Military Police or CFNIS. While in both cases this represents a relatively small subset of Regular Force members, these proportions were not statistically different from 2016.  

Women more likely to cite fear or concerns with the formal complaint process as reasons for not reporting

Of those who did not report their sexual assault to anyone in authority, the most common reason for not doing so was that they resolved it on their own, cited by four in ten victims (42% of women and 44% of men) (Chart 2). Having resolved the issue on their own was also the most common reason provided by Primary Reservists who did not report their sexual assault (45%) (Burczycka 2019).

Women in the Regular Force were more likely than men to cite fear of negative consequences (37% versus 19%), a belief that reporting would not make a difference (32% versus 23%), and concerns about the formal complaint process (26% versus 16%) as reasons for not reporting sexual assault. On the other hand, men were more likely to state that the behaviour was not serious enough to warrant reporting (38% versus 16% of women). About three in ten women and men who were sexually assaulted did not report to anyone in authority because the behaviour stopped.

One in five (20%) victims of sexual assault cited concerns about the formal complaint process as a reason for not reporting their sexual assault, nearly double the proportion in 2016 (11%). Both women (26% in 2018 versus 18% in 2016) and men (16% in 2018 versus 7% in 2016) were more likely to cite these concerns. Victims of sexual assault in the Regular Force were also more likely to state that they did not report because the behaviour stopped (29%), that they were unsure how to report (7%^E), or that the person(s) responsible changed jobs (6%) in 2018 than they were in 2016 (23%, 3%^E, and 3%^E, respectively).

Negative impacts more common among women than men 

Not only is the prevalence of sexual assault higher among women in the Regular Force, the nature of sexual assault is also different in several ways. One way in which this can be seen is when looking at the negative consequences or changes to daily life reported by victims after being assaulted. Close to nine in ten (88%) women who were sexually assaulted experienced negative impacts, compared to about half (52%) of men who were victims (Table 4).

Avoiding certain people or locations was a relatively common negative impact of sexual assault among Regular Force members. For all victims, the most common impact was avoiding or wanting to avoid specific people at work, though the proportion was nearly twice as high among women (74% and 40%) (Chart 3). Avoiding specific locations (53% of women and 25% of men), optional work-related social functions (49% and 28%), the mess (44% and 22%), or the gym (27% and 15%) were also cited as impacts.

In addition, women were twice as likely to experience negative emotional impacts such as depression, anxiety, fear, or anger, when compared to men who were sexually assaulted (66% versus 33%). Negative impacts on personal or social life were also more commonly experienced by women than by men (61% versus 25%).

Further, four in ten women who were sexually assaulted lost trust in their unit (39%) or chain of command (38%) as a result, compared with about one-quarter of men (23% and 24%, respectively).

The higher proportion of women having experienced negative impacts or having altered their behaviour as a result of their victimization could be a reflection of the severity of sexual assaults against women, as sexual attacks and sexual activity where unable to consent were considerably higher among women. In addition, women who were sexually assaulted were more likely than men to have experienced multiple types or multiple instances of sexual assault.

Most victims of sexual assault did not consult services

In all, the majority (84%) of Regular Force members stated that, in at least one instance, they did not consult services following their sexual assault, whether these services were provided by the CAF or in the general community. While 91% of men did not use or consult any services, this was the case for 74% of women who were sexually assaulted.

Those who consulted services were more likely to consult or use CAF services (15%) as opposed to civilian services (7%). Women were more likely than men to have consulted both CAF services (25% versus 8%^E) and civilian services (9% versus 5%^E). This reflects other findings which suggest that, in general, a minority of victims of sexual assault consult formal services, and that men are less likely than women to consult or use services (Conroy and Cotter 2017).

Those who consulted CAF services most commonly used or consulted CAF mental health services (11%), CAF medical services (5%), a CAF chaplain (4%^E), or the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (4%^E). More specifically, of women who were sexually assaulted, 21% used or consulted CAF mental health services and 9%^E used or consulted CAF medical services.^Note 

Compared with 2016, victims of sexual assault in the Regular Force were equally likely to have consulted CAF-provided services or to not have used or contacted services at all. In contrast, the percentage of victims of sexual assault who consulted a civilian service increased, from 4% to 7%.

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Section 2: Sexualized and discriminatory behaviours

Understanding the broader culture within which sexual assault occurs is critical. Behaviours that are sexual in nature or comments that are discriminatory on the basis of sex, gender, or gender identity can contribute to an environment where not all members feel safe or comfortable. For that reason, the SSMCAF also asked members about their experiences of a range of behaviours – behaviours that, unlike sexual assault, may not meet the criminal threshold but nonetheless can have considerable impacts on those who witness or experience them. These behaviours also exist on a continuum of potential harm for those who are affected – and can contribute to an environment in which behaviours can escalate (Sadler et al. 2018). Regular Force members who personally experienced one or more of these behaviours reported a higher prevalence of sexual assault in the 12 months preceding the survey than those who did not (7.4% versus 0.4%).

As was the case in the first cycle of the SSMCAF, members were asked about ten types of sexualized behaviours and five types of discriminatory behaviour, analyzed separately as well as broadly in the following five categories: inappropriate verbal and non-verbal communication^Note , behaviours involving sexually explicit materials^Note , unwanted physical contact or suggested sexual relations^Note , discrimination on the basis of sex or gender^Note  and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity^Note . The following section explores Regular Force members’ experiences of witnessing (i.e., seeing or hearing) or being personally targeted by these behaviours in the previous 12 months and examines shifts since the first cycle in 2016.

Fewer Regular Force members witnessed sexualized or discriminatory behaviours in 2018

Compared to 2016, the proportion of Regular Force members who witnessed all types of sexual misconduct measured by the survey was lower in 2018 (Chart 4). On the whole, 70% of Regular Force members witnessed or experienced at least one form of sexualized or discriminatory behaviour, down ten percentage points from 2016 (80%). This represented about 6,100 fewer members witnessing at least one behaviour across the Regular Force (from 45,280 members in 2016 to 39,150 in 2018).

Declines in witnessing behaviours were noted among each of the 15 types of behaviour measured by the survey, with the most common types of behaviours witnessed by Regular Force members being those that were also most common in 2016: sexual jokes (65%), inappropriate sexual comments (31%), and inappropriate discussion about sex life (28%).

One-quarter (26%) of Regular Force members witnessed or experienced discriminatory comments on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The most common types of discrimination seen, heard, or experienced were suggestions that a man doesn't act like a man is supposed to act or a woman doesn't act like a woman is supposed to act (18%) and comments that people are not good at a particular job or should be prevented from having a particular job because of their sex (13%).

The behaviours most likely to be witnessed or experienced by Regular Force members were also those behaviours that were more commonly witnessed or experienced multiple times (Chart 5). One-quarter (26%) of Regular Force members who witnessed or experienced sexual jokes stated that there were 10 or more instances. That said, while sexual jokes were much more likely than any other type of behaviour to have been seen, heard, or experienced that frequently, this proportion was much lower than in 2016, when almost half (46%) of Regular Force members who witnessed or experienced sexual jokes stated they occurred 10 or more times.

Among Primary Reservists, a similar trend was noted. Just over seven in ten (71%) witnessed or experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in 2018, down from eight in ten (82%) in 2016 (Burczycka 2019). While these proportions are similar to what was seen among Regular Force members, direct comparisons are difficult given how different the service environments are between Regular Force members and Reservists.

Women more likely to witness or experience sexualized or discriminatory behaviours than men

As was the case in 2016, women in the Regular Force were more likely than men to have witnessed sexualized or discriminatory behaviours. In 2018, 75% of women and 70% of men in the Regular Force witnessed at least one type of sexualized or discriminatory behaviour, down from 84% and 79%, respectively (Table 5). Likewise, three-quarters (76%) of gender diverse^Note  Regular Force members witnessed or experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour, though this was not statistically different from the estimate for women or men.

Regardless of gender, inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication was the most common form of behaviour witnessed or experienced, reported by about seven in ten Regular Force members, though the prevalence was slightly higher among women. In contrast, men were slightly more likely than women to have witnessed or experienced behaviours related to sexually explicit materials. Of note, however, the prevalence was almost three times higher among gender diverse members. Women and gender diverse members also more frequently witnessed or experienced unwanted physical contact or suggested sexual relations and behaviours related to discrimination (Chart 6).

More specifically, for 13 of the 15 behaviours measured by the SSMCAF, women were more likely than men to have witnessed or experienced them (Table 5).^Note  The exceptions were displaying, showing or sending sexually explicit materials or messages, more commonly witnessed or experienced by men, and indecent exposure or inappropriate display of body parts, which was equally likely to be witnessed or experienced by women and men.

Younger, lower-ranking Regular Force members more likely to have witnessed or experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour

In addition to differences by gender, many other characteristics were associated with the likelihood of having seen, heard, or experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviours (Table 6). For example, while about three-quarters of members 34 years of age and younger saw, heard, or experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in the workplace in the past 12 months, this was the case for about six in ten (59%) members aged 50 and older. Junior Non-Commissioned Members (73%) were equally likely as Junior Officers (74%) to have witnessed or experienced at least one behaviour, and more likely than were Senior Non-Commissioned Members (66%) or Senior Officers (65%).

Discriminatory behaviours considered offensive by a greater proportion of Regular Force members

Though sexual jokes were by far the most common behaviour, they were least likely to be considered offensive by Regular Force members who witnessed or experienced them. In general, the behaviours less frequently witnessed or experienced were more often considered offensive (Chart 7). As was the case in 2016, a larger proportion of Regular Force members also stated that discriminatory behaviours were offensive when compared to sexualized behaviors. More than six in ten members believed that mistreatment due to sex, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and discrimination on the basis of gender identity were somewhat or very offensive. 

For each of the 15 behaviours measured, women who had witnessed or experienced them were more likely to perceive them as offensive when compared to men (Chart 8). The largest gaps between women and men were seen when it came to sexually explicit materials (52% of women considered this behaviour to be offensive compared with 26% of men), offering workplace benefits in exchange for sexual activity (83% of women and 42% of men), indecent exposure (60% of women and 31% of men), and insulting, mistreating, ignoring, or excluding someone because of their sex (63% of women and 33% of men).  

The proportion of Regular Force members who considered certain behaviours offensive increased for the majority of behaviours measured between 2016 and 2018.^Note  For instance, while 47% of Regular Force members in 2016 stated that repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relations was offensive, this was the case for 56% in 2018. Other behaviours to see large increases in terms of the proportion considering them to be offensive were the taking or posting of inappropriate or sexually suggestive photos or videos of CAF members (from 42% to 48%) and unwanted sexual attention (from 32% to 38%). Notably, the proportion of members who considered each of the five discriminatory behaviours measured to be offensive increased between 2016 and 2018.

Overall, fewer Regular Force members personally experienced inappropriate sexual behaviour or discrimination

In addition to asking about behaviours that were seen or heard in the military workplace or involving military members, the SSMCAF also asked respondents who had witnessed any behaviours if they were personally targeted in any of these instances. While the majority of Regular Force members had witnessed some sort of sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in the past 12 months, a smaller proportion had personally experienced any of these behaviours (Table 7). In 2018, just under 8,400 Regular Force members, or 15%, stated that they had been personally targeted by at least one sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in the past 12 months.  

As with seeing or hearing behaviours, there was a significant decline in the proportion of members who had been personally targeted: the 15% recorded in 2018 was two percentage points lower than in 2016 (17%). This decline represented about 870 fewer members targeted.

Being sent or shown sexually explicit materials or messages, being insulted, mistreated, ignored, or excluded due to sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity, repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relationships, or being offered benefits in exchange for sexual activity or being mistreated for not engaging in sexual activity were all experienced by similar proportions of Regular Force members in 2016 and 2018 (Chart 9). All other behaviours measured by the survey saw declines in the proportion of members personally targeted.

Of note, the declines in personally targeted behaviours tended to occur among those behaviours reflective of the general workplace culture, such as sexual jokes or inappropriate comments that are more likely to be perpetrated by groups or by peers. This could be influenced by part of Operation HONOUR’s mandate, which involved new training and workshops focused on identifying and preventing inappropriate behaviours in the workplace (Department of National Defence 2017). On the other hand, the Auditor General’s report on Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour in the Canadian Armed Forces also found that, according to some members, certain inappropriate comments or behaviours are avoided in situations that are more public or where they believe their behaviour could be monitored, while they may continue to occur in more private settings or among members considered to be “like-minded” (Office of the Auditor General of Canada 2018).

That said, and as noted previously, these comparatively less serious behaviours can nonetheless lead to a culture in which behaviours can escalate (Klein & Gallus 2018). A focus on the reduction of these types of behaviours can therefore be a proactive approach to effecting change (Sadler et al. 2018; Klein & Gallus 2018).

Notably, these behaviours that declined also tended to be the ones considered offensive by a lower proportion of members who witnessed them. In contrast, the behaviours that did not decrease were those that were relatively rarer, but were more likely to be considered offensive and less often involved multiple persons responsible.

Prevalence of all behaviours remains higher among women in the Regular Force

Both women and men in the Regular Force saw declines in the proportion who were personally targeted by sexualized or discriminatory behaviour. For women, 28% had been personally targeted by a sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in the military workplace or involving military members in the past 12 months, down from 31% in 2016. Likewise, 13% of men in the Regular Force experienced sexualized behaviour or discrimination in the past 12 months, down from 15% in 2016.

Both women and men saw decreases in most of the categories of behaviours measured. Among women, the prevalence of unwanted physical contact or sexual relations as a whole remained stable as repeated pressure from the same person for dates or relationships and offering workplace benefits in exchange for sex or mistreating someone for not engaging in sexual activity did not change. Among men, the proportion of those personally targeted by sexually explicit materials did not change (2% in both 2016 and 2018). Neither women nor men saw decreases in the proportion who were discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity.

While both women and men saw similar declines compared with 2016, it should be noted that for each of the 15 behaviours measured by the SSMCAF, the prevalence remained higher among women (Chart 10). Women in the Regular Force were especially more likely than men to have had comments directed at them that they are not good at a particular job or should be prevented from having a particular job because of their sex (9% of women versus 1% of men), to have experienced repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relationships (6% versus 0.4%), to have been insulted, mistreated, ignored, or excluded because of their sex (10% versus 1%), or to have received unwanted sexual attention (12% versus 2%).

While comparatively rare, the proportion of women who were offered workplace benefits in exchange for sex, or who were mistreated because they did not engage in sexual activity, was significantly higher than that of men in the Regular Force (0.9% and 0.1%^E, respectively). This was similar to what was found in 2016 (0.9% and 0.2%, respectively).

One in five members under age 30 personally targeted in the past year

As was the case with sexual assault, younger Regular Force members were more likely to have been personally targeted by at least one sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in the military workplace in the past 12 months (Table 8). About one in five Regular Force members 24 years of age or younger (21%) or aged 25 to 29 (22%) were targeted in the past 12 months, about three times the proportion of those 50 years of age and older (7%).

In 2018, the proportion of Indigenous members who were targeted did not statistically differ from that of non-Indigenous members, unlike in 2016 when the prevalence was higher among Indigenous members (Cotter 2016). As was found in 2016, in 2018 a larger proportion of members with disabilities were personally targeted at least once when compared to members without disabilities. The prevalence among visible minority members and non-visible minority members was similar in both 2016 and 2018.

Persons responsible differed considerably depending on type of behaviour

The number of persons responsible, and their relationship to the targeted member, were quite different depending on the type of behaviour (Table 9A; Table 9B). The behaviours that were, in general, the most common – and least likely to be perceived as offensive – were more likely to involve multiple persons as responsible. Fewer than one in five (16%) Regular Force members targeted by sexual jokes said that a lone person was responsible. Likewise, other behaviours such as inappropriate discussion about sex life (24%) and inappropriate sexual comments (29%) less often involved a lone person as the perpetrator.

On the contrary, other behaviours such as repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relationships (67%), unwelcome physical contact or getting too close (61%), and offering workplace benefit for engaging in sexual activity or being mistreated for not engaging in sexual activity (54%) were more likely to involve a single person. In this regard, these behaviours were more similar to sexual assault than they were to the other types of sexualized behaviours that more often involved multiple perpetrators.

In general, discriminatory behaviours were more commonly perpetrated by supervisors or persons of higher rank. A supervisor or higher ranking member was identified as the perpetrator by about two-thirds of Regular Force members who were insulted, mistreated, ignored, or excluded because of their sex (68%), their gender identity (67%), or their sexual orientation (64%). In each case, these proportions were higher than the next most common perpetrator relationship identified, which was a peer (45%, 56%, and 55%, respectively).

Supervisors may be more commonly noted as perpetrators of these types of behaviours because, unlike peers or subordinates, supervisors or higher-ranking members are often those making decisions related to work-related assignments, tasks, or recognition in the workplace.

On the other hand, peers were most commonly cited as responsible for most of the sexualized behaviours measured by the survey. Where peers were the most common perpetrators, this ranged from 49% for unwelcome physical contact or getting too close to 79% for sexual jokes.

Reflecting the power dynamics inherent in this type of behaviour, the one exception to this was the offering of workplace benefits in exchange for engaging in sexual activity or mistreatment for not engaging in sexual activity, where 75% of Regular Force members who experienced it stated a superior was responsible.

Nearly all Regular Force members targeted by sexualized or discriminatory behaviours experienced at least one instance in the military workplace

In 2018, virtually all (97%) Regular Force members who were targeted by a sexualized or discriminatory behaviour stated that at least one instance occurred in the military workplace, most commonly on a military base or wing (84%) (Chart 11). The next most common locations were the mess (29%) or during field exercises (26%).

Approximately half (45%) experienced at least one instance outside of the military workplace, most commonly in a private residence (30%), a commercial or institutional establishment (21%), or a street or other public place (18%) or another location outside the military workplace (18%).

Close to three in ten Regular Force members targeted by inappropriate behaviour said someone in authority found out

In 2018, 28% of those targeted by sexualized or discriminatory behaviour stated that someone in authority found out^Note , a slight increase from 2016 (26%). Women were more than twice as likely as men to have reported their experience to someone in authority (45% versus 22%).  While women were more likely to have reported the behaviour in 2018 compared with 2016, the proportion of men who reported was unchanged.

One-third (32%) of those who experienced discriminatory behaviour because of their sexual orientation or gender identity stated that it was reported to someone in authority, twelve percentage points higher than in 2016 (20%). A larger proportion of discriminatory behaviour based on sex (27%) and unwanted physical contact or sexual relations (24%) were reported to someone in authority compared with 2016 (21% and 19%, respectively). There was no change in the proportion of inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communications or sexually explicit materials that came to the attention of someone in authority.

As was the case in 2016, a considerable proportion of Regular Force members were unaware as to whether someone in authority found out about the behaviours they experienced, ranging from 22% of those who were targeted by unwanted physical contact or suggested sexual relations to 35% of those who were the target of inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication (Chart 12).

Regular Force members who stated that someone in authority found out about the behaviour most commonly said that it was their military supervisor (21%) or another military member within their chain of command who became aware. As many of the sexualized or discriminatory behaviours asked about in the SSMCAF tend not to be criminal in nature, a small proportion (2%) of Regular Force members stated that the Military Police or the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) were informed. This was the same proportion as in 2016.

Behaviour not being serious enough or being resolved informally most common reasons for not reporting

Of those who did not report the behaviour to someone in authority, the most common reasons for not having done so were that the behaviour was not serious enough (56% of men and 48% of women) or that they resolved it on their own (35% of men and 52% of women) (Chart 13). The proportions of women citing a fear of negative consequences (27%), a belief that reporting would not make a difference (38%), or concerns about the formal complaint process (15%) were about two-and-a-half times higher than the proportions among men (10%, 15%, and 6%, respectively). Notably, one in ten (10%) women stated that they did not report the behaviour because they changed jobs, about five times the proportion of men who provided this reason (2%).

Avoiding certain people at work most common impact of targeted behaviour

Among Regular Force members who personally experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviours, as was the case with sexual assault, women were more likely than men to report negative impacts as a result (Table 10). Seven in ten (70%) men who experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour said they did not experience any negative impacts, compared with one in four (24%) women. Further, the least common negative impact for women, missing work or working fewer hours, was experienced at nearly the same rate as the most common negative impact among men, avoiding or wanting to avoid specific people at work (19% and 23%, respectively).

Also similar to sexual assault, avoiding or wanting to avoid specific people at work was the most common impact of having experienced targeted sexualized or discriminatory behaviour (Chart 14). Regardless of the specific impact, women were more likely to sometimes or always experience it than were men. About four in ten women sometimes or always lost trust in their chain of command (45%) or their unit (39%) as a result of their experience, about three times higher than the proportion of men who felt likewise (18% and 15%, respectively).

In addition to the differences seen between genders, there were differences in the impacts experienced depending on types of behaviour. Just as discriminatory behaviours were more likely to be considered offensive, they also had negative impacts on a larger proportion of Regular Force members who experienced them (Table 10). Half (50%) of men and three-quarters (76%) of women who experienced discriminatory behaviour due to their sex, gender, or sexual orientation sometimes or always experienced negative impacts as a result. Notably, the behaviour most likely to result in negative impacts was discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; men (79%) and women (82%) were equally likely to have sometimes or always experienced negative personal impacts as a result.

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Many Regular Force members were bystanders to sexualized or discriminatory behaviour

One component of Operation HONOUR and the CAF’s response to sexual misconduct was the development of training for bystanders, which focused on techniques for recognizing and reacting to sexual misconduct and harassment (Department of National Defence 2017). As noted, 70% of Regular Force members witnessed or experienced some form of sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in the past 12 months, and a smaller proportion had been personally targeted by them. In addition, many of those who were targeted by one or more behaviours also witnessed other instances that were not directed at them personally. In 2018, 66% of Regular Force members witnessed inappropriate sexual communication, 18% witnessed other sexual behaviours^Note , and 25% witnessed discriminatory behaviour directed at another individual; in other words, in at least one instance, they were bystanders to behaviour targeting another person or group.

Those members who witnessed behaviours that were not directed at them personally^Note  were asked if they ever took action in any instance; if so, they were asked what type of action was taken, and if not, they were asked the reason(s) for not taking action.^Note 

Women in the Regular Force more likely to take action

Overall, the proportion of Regular Force members who took action differed slightly depending on the category of behaviour. That said, women were more likely to have taken action after having witnessed sexualized or discriminatory behaviour (Table 11). Half of women who witnessed inappropriate sexual communication (49%) or other sexual behaviours (50%) took action at least once, while this was the case for six in ten (59%) women who witnessed discrimination. About four in ten men who witnessed inappropriate sexual communication (43%), discrimination (43%), or other sexual behaviours (38%) took action in at least one instance.

The most common action taken by bystanders was talking to the person(s) responsible for the behaviour – cited by 88% of those who took action related to inappropriate sexual communication, 84% for discrimination, and 76% for other sexual behaviours. This was the case for both women and men. Talking to the person(s) targeted by the behaviour was the next most common action, done by about 4 in 10 of those who were bystanders to sexual or discriminatory behaviour (35% for inappropriate sexual communication, 41% for discrimination, and 42% for other sexual behaviours).

Those who witnessed behaviours such as sexually explicit materials or unwanted physical contact or suggested sexual relations were more likely to report the behaviours to someone in authority (27%) compared to those who witnessed discrimination (18%) or inappropriate sexual communication (14%).

While rarer, this was also the case when it came to contacting the police or the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC). One in twenty (5%) Regular Force members who witnessed other sexual behaviours – which includes certain behaviours that are more similar to criminal acts – contacted the Military Police, compared with 1% of those who witnessed inappropriate sexual communication or discrimination. Likewise, 2% of bystanders contacted the SMRC about an instance of other sexual behaviours, while this was the case for 1% of those who witnessed inappropriate sexual communication or discrimination.

In all, the majority of members who had witnessed sexualized or discriminatory behaviour also had at least one instance in which they did not take any action, from 72% of those who witnessed discrimination, to 75% of those who witnessed other sexual behaviours, to 84% of those who witnessed inappropriate sexual communication.

The most common reason for not taking action in at least one instance was a belief that no action was needed or that the behaviour was not serious enough. This was most commonly the case when it came to inappropriate sexual communication (78%, compared to 63% each for other sexual behaviours and discrimination). For all three groups of behaviour, this perception was more common among men than among women – especially when it came to other sexual behaviours and discrimination, where the proportion of men who did not take action because they believed it was not serious enough was twenty percentage points higher than that of women (67% versus 47% for each).

While less commonly provided as a reason for not taking action, women were more likely than men to state that they did not take action in at least one instance because they were afraid of negative consequences for themselves or for those targeted, or because the person(s) responsible were of a higher rank (Table 11).

For each group of behaviour, small proportions of Regular Force members stated that they did not take action because they didn’t feel it was their responsibility (4% each of those who witnessed other sexual behaviours or discrimination and 2% of those who witnessed inappropriate sexual communications) or because they didn’t know what to do (6% each of those who witnessed other sexual behaviours or discrimination and 3% of those who witnessed inappropriate sexual communications).

Senior non-commissioned members and senior officers were more likely than their junior counterparts to have taken action in at least one instance (Table 12). Junior non-commissioned members were the least likely to have taken action, with 35% having taken action after witnessing inappropriate sexual communication, 33% after witnessing other sexual behaviours, and 38% after witnessing discrimination. Senior officers were the most likely to have acted, with about six in ten having taken action after witnessing inappropriate sexual communication (62%), other sexual behaviours (65%), or discrimination (63%).

Section 3: Knowledge and perceptions of policies and responses to sexual misconduct

Given some of the changes that have been observed in Regular Force members’ experiences since the Deschamps report (2015), the implementation of Operation HONOUR, and the first SSMCAF, it is of interest to examine whether levels of awareness or perceptions of the CAF’s response to sexual misconduct have changed. In addition to these CAF initiatives and programs, there have been many other broad discussions and campaigns within society in general which have attempted to raise awareness relating to sexual assault and other inappropriate sexual behaviour, such as the #MeToo movement, which may have likewise had an impact on the behaviours and perceptions of CAF members. As with sexual assault and sexual and discriminatory behaviour, the second cycle of the SSMCAF included many of the same questions related to policies and climate in order to facilitate analysis of changes in beliefs over time.

As was the case in 2016, virtually all Regular Force members were aware of Operation HONOUR. More than nine in ten (96%) were very aware. Comparatively speaking, a smaller proportion of Regular Force members were very aware of the other key directives or programs related to sexual misconduct. For example, about two-thirds of Regular Force members were very aware of the Defence Administrative Order and Directive (DAOD) 5012-0 Harassment Prevention and Resolution (65%). Though less than for Operation HONOUR, this proportion increased from 2016 (55%).

Most Regular Force members were somewhat or very aware of the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC). Just over half (52%) of Regular Force members were very aware of the SMRC, up from 41% in 2016 (Chart 15). As more members were very aware, there were declines noted in the proportion of members who were somewhat aware of the SMRC (38% in 2018 compared with 45% in 2016) and who were not aware of the SMRC (10%, down from 14%).

The increase in the proportion of members who were very aware, coupled with declines in the proportion who were somewhat aware or not aware, was observed among both women and men in the Regular Force. In 2018, women and men were equally likely to be very aware (each 52%) or somewhat aware (each 38%) of the SMRC. Women were slightly more likely than men to be unaware of the SMRC (10% compared with 9%).^Note  This was also the case in 2016, when 16% of women and 13% of men in the Regular Force said they were not aware of the SMRC.

Regular Force members more optimistic about Operation HONOUR than they were in 2016

In 2018, members were asked to reflect on the effectiveness of Operation HONOUR thus far, as well as how effective they believe it will be in the future. On the whole, Regular Force members were more optimistic about Operation HONOUR than they were two years prior (Chart 16). Where 32% felt it would be very or extremely effective in 2016, 45% of Regular Force members stated that, looking back, Operation HONOUR has been very or extremely effective. At the same time, 17% of Regular Force members felt that Operation HONOUR has, to date, been ineffective or only slightly effective – considerably less than the 30% of members who predicted this outcome in 2016.

Looking forward once again, about half (49%) of all Regular Force members believe Operation HONOUR will be very or extremely effective in its stated goals.

Three-quarters of women (77%) and men (75%) believed that Operation HONOUR has been moderately, very, or extremely effective since its implementation. Men were more likely than women to believe it had been very or extremely effective (46% versus 40%), while women more often stated that it had been moderately effective (37% versus 29%).

More Regular Force members positive about their current unit, CAF’s work

As was the case in 2016, the vast majority of Regular Force members felt that inappropriate sexual behaviour is not tolerated in their current unit (94%, with 83% strongly agreeing) and that complaints are or would be taken seriously in their current unit (94%, with 84% strongly agreeing) (Table 13). The proportion of those who strongly agreed with these statements was higher in 2018 than it was in 2016.

In addition, aligning with the increased proportion of members who felt Operation HONOUR had been and will be effective, 74% of Regular Force members strongly agreed that CAF is working hard to create a workplace that prevents inappropriate sexual behaviour, 10 percentage points higher than in 2016 (63%). Similar increases were observed among both women and men.

There was also a considerable increase in the proportion of Regular Force members who strongly felt that they had received adequate training on preventing and addressing inappropriate sexual behaviour (70% in 2018 versus 61% in 2016). Again, this increase was equally observed among women and men. This increase may be associated with the perception that Operation HONOUR has been effective, as one of its central tenets is the development of education and training related to the awareness and prevention of inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Nearly nine in ten (88%) Regular Force members trusted their chain of command to effectively deal with inappropriate sexual behaviour – slightly higher among men (89%) than women (86%). Small proportions of men (5%) and women (7%) did not trust their chain of command in this regard. In particular, when looking at experiences in the past 12 months, 10% of men and 16% of women who were targeted by sexual or discriminatory behaviour did not trust their chain of command, while this was the case for 21% of men and 29% of women who had been sexually assaulted.

Perceptions of women who had been sexually assaulted largely unchanged from 2016

While many of the perceptions were more positive in 2018 among Regular Force members as a whole, a different pattern emerged among victims of sexual assault – particularly when looking at the perceptions of men and women who had been victimized. Men who had been sexually assaulted were more likely to strongly agree that complaints would be taken seriously in their current unit (62% in 2018 versus 47% in 2016), that they had received adequate training on preventing and addressing inappropriate sexual behaviour (57% versus 35%), that inappropriate sexual behaviour is not tolerated in their current unit (57% versus 40%), that the CAF works hard to create a workplace that prevents inappropriate sexual behaviour (52% versus 37%), and that they had trust in their chain of command to effectively deal with inappropriate sexual behaviour (47% versus 33%).

On the contrary, while women who had been sexually assaulted were more likely to strongly agree (44% in 2018 versus 34% in 2016) or somewhat agree (36% versus 27%) that they had received adequate training regarding inappropriate sexual behaviour and to somewhat agree that inappropriate sexual behaviour is not tolerated in their current unit (29% versus 21%), their perceptions of CAF’s work to prevent inappropriate sexual behaviour and their perceptions of their current unit were otherwise unchanged.

Proportion of those who believe inappropriate sexual behaviour is a problem in the CAF has increased

Despite these specific improvements in perception and the general perspective that Operation HONOUR has been and will continue to be effective at reducing inappropriate sexual behaviour, 42% of Regular Force members agreed that inappropriate sexual behaviour is a problem in the CAF, up from 38% in 2016. This increase being noted may be an indication of the impact of Operation HONOUR and related training programs, as more Regular Force members are identifying and understanding inappropriate sexual behaviour as problematic. 

Though the proportion of women believing inappropriate sexual behaviour is a problem in the CAF remained higher than the proportion of men, similar increases were noted among both women (from 51% in 2016 to 54% in 2018) and men (from 36% to 40%).

Two-thirds (64%) of women who had been targeted by sexualized or discriminatory behaviour and three-quarters (76%) of those who had been sexually assaulted believed that inappropriate sexual behaviour is a problem in the CAF, compared to about half (54%) of women in the Regular Force in general. While men who had been sexually assaulted were more likely than men in general to believe inappropriate sexual behaviour is a problem in the CAF (55% versus 40%), those who had personally experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour were similar (38%).^Note 

Most Regular Force members believe that sexually inappropriate behaviour happens as often or more often in the general population 

The majority of Regular Force members felt that the CAF was similar or better than the general population in terms of the prevalence of sexually inappropriate behaviour.^Note  Four in ten (40%) felt that sexually inappropriate behaviour was equally common in the CAF and the general population, and about a third thought that it was slightly more common (15%) or much more common (21%) among the general population.^Note  The external review into the CAF (Deschamps 2015) concluded that one factor leading to members’ perception that inappropriate sexual behaviours were condoned or not taken seriously by leadership was a belief that these behaviours were simply a reflection of society in general – or that the CAF fared better in comparison.

Women – who are more likely to be personally impacted by sexual assault and other sexualized behaviours, both in the CAF and in general society – were twice as likely as men to state that sexually inappropriate behaviour was more common in the CAF than in society generally (25% versus 13%).

Section 4: Summary, methodology, and data sources

In 2018, for the second time, the Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces (SSMCAF) was conducted in order to ask active Regular Force and Primary Reserve members about their experiences of sexual assault and sexualized and discriminatory behaviour in the military workplace or involving other military members or Department of National Defence civilians or contractors. The 2018 SSMCAF also added new questions in order to measure actions taken by bystanders, including reasons for not taking action when they witnessed sexual or discriminatory behaviour.

In 2018, approximately 900 Regular Force members stated that they had been sexually assaulted (i.e., sexually attacked, experienced unwanted sexual touching, or subjected to sexual activity to which they were unable to consent), representing 1.6% of all Regular Force members. The prevalence was about four times higher among women (4.3%) than men (1.1%). Compared with the 2016 SSMCAF, there were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of sexual assault among Regular Force members.

Unwanted sexual touching was the most common type of sexual assault experienced, regardless of gender. As is the case in the general population, certain groups of members – such as those who are younger, Indigenous persons, or persons with disabilities – were more likely to have been sexually assaulted in the past 12 months. About one in four Regular Force members who were sexually assaulted stated that someone in authority found out about the assault in some way.

Seven in ten (70%) Regular Force members saw, heard, or experienced sexualized or discriminatory behaviour in the past 12 months – and 15% were personally targeted. The most common behaviours witnessed or experienced were sexual jokes, inappropriate sexual comments, and inappropriate discussion about sex life. The proportion of women who were targeted by sexualized or discriminatory behaviour was about double that of men (28% versus 13%).

Most Regular Force members witnessed at least one instance of sexualized or discriminatory behaviour, most commonly one that was related to inappropriate communication. Roughly four in ten men and approximately half of women said that they took action at least once, and most commonly this action took the form of speaking to the persons responsible. When action was not taken, the most common reason why was that the instance was not perceived to be serious enough to require action.

In general, Regular Force members were positive about the current and future effectiveness of Operation HONOUR and about the ways in which the CAF and their current unit approaches preventing, addressing, and responding to inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Effecting organizational change can be difficult, and often takes time. Operation HONOUR appears to have made some progress more than three years since its implementation. The proportion of Regular Force members who witnessed all types of behaviours measured by the survey was lower in 2018 than in 2016, while for 9 of the 15 behaviours measured, fewer Regular Force members were personally targeted by them in 2018.

Additionally, Regular Force members in 2018 were more optimistic about the effectiveness of Operation HONOUR and were even more likely than they were two years prior to strongly agree that both the CAF as a whole and their current unit were taking effective steps to prevent and address inappropriate sexual behaviour. There was an increase in the proportion of members who were targeted by sexualized or discriminatory behaviours who reported to someone in authority, and there were fewer women sexually assaulted by a supervisor or someone of higher rank.

As central components of Operation HONOUR involved training and education related to awareness, prevention, and recognition of inappropriate sexual behaviour and taking steps to create a more respectful workplace, these shifts may signal various effects since the implementation of the strategy.

Despite these changes, however, the prevalence of sexual assault, the frequency with which sexual assault was reported to authorities, and the prevalence of certain types of targeted sexual or discriminatory behaviours have not changed since 2016. Namely, behaviours that are typically more serious, are less likely to be perpetrated by groups or peers, or are less likely to reflect the general workplace climate have not declined. Behaviours such as these may also be more likely to occur in one-on-one situations and therefore may be less amenable to influence through training and related programs, reflecting a weaker ‘bystander effect’.

That said, the declines noted in the relatively less serious types of behaviours can be evidence of proactive prevention and of strategies taking hold. Reducing the incidence of less serious behaviours and shifting the day-to-day culture may help to prevent the creation of a workplace climate where these types of behaviours can escalate in frequency and in seriousness (Klein and Gallus 2018).

Methodology and data sources

This report is based on data from the 2018 Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. The target population was all active members of the Regular Force and Primary Reserves. For information on the methodology and response rates among the Primary Reserves, see Burczycka (2019).

The SSMCAF was administered only to current CAF members. Therefore, those who may have been on administrative, medical, or parental leave or those who may have chosen to leave the CAF as a result of victimization or for any other reason were not included in the survey. The questionnaire was sent electronically to all members of the target population; therefore, no sampling was done. Data collection took place between September and November, 2018. Responses were obtained using an electronic questionnaire.

The response rate among Regular Force members was 52%, down from 2016 (61%). In all, 28,541 Regular Force members completed and submitted the questionnaire; their responses were weighted so as to represent the entire Regular Force population. After weighting, the submitted responses represented approximately 55,900 Regular Force members.

For more information and copies of the questionnaire, refer to the Statistics Canada survey information page: Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces.

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