RCMP investigating sexual assault allegations involving several students at Kelowna high school
Disclosure comes as students at Kelowna Secondary School walk out to demand action and raise awareness
RCMP are investigating sexual assault allegations from several youths at Kelowna Secondary School and a suspect who is also a youth.
News of the investigation comes after nearly 100 students walked out of the city's largest high school on Thursday, shouting slogans including, "no means no," and demanding sexual assault be taken seriously.
Police say the students' allegations were brought to school administrators and police late last year.
Due to the ages of the alleged victims, police are disclosing little about the nature of the allegations.
Const. Mike Della-Paolera, the RCMP school resource officer at Kelowna Secondary School, has been working with both victims and protesters and insists investigators are taking all the allegations seriously.
"These investigations are very complex. There's a lot of layers to them ... and sometimes it takes a long time," he said.
RCMP officers specializing in sex assault crimes, as well as victim services and youth counsellors, are involved.
Della-Paolera says student rumours and allegations swirling on social media pose a challenge to police gathering evidence and interviews.
RCMP say they are focused on maintaining a safe environment at Kelowna Secondary School, and the suspect has since left the school.
"The parties [victims and suspect] are not in the same school anymore. The person that we're concerned about has moved on and the school district has done a fantastic job of handling that. There's no safety concern. The people involved are all aware of that."
Kelowna RCMP have faced criticism for the handling and investigation of sexual assaults several times in the past.
Central Okanagan School District superintendent Keven Kaardal refused to confirm any incidents or provide details on the school administration's response, citing privacy and legal concerns.
Karadall says the district reports all known incidents of assault, sexual or otherwise, on school property or otherwise, to the RCMP.
He says the district has complex protocols in place to deal with any criminal accusations or potential disciplinary matters. He refused to share them with CBC News, saying the documents are for internal use only.
Support is available for anyone who has been assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database.
If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, call 911.