Forty-three per cent of Albertans have experienced sexual abuse, study says

New data suggests almost one in every two Albertans have experienced sexual abuse in their lifetimes.

The new study, released by the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services, was done in collaboration with sexual assault services across Alberta, along with funding from the provincial government.

It has been decades since the last major study of sexual abuse in Alberta — in 1984, Dr. Robin Badgely chaired a study that estimated 42 per cent of Albertans had been impacted by sexual assault.

"It was a little bit surprising to me to understand that the ratios haven't changed a whole lot from 1984," said Community and Social Services Minister Rajan Sawhney during a press conference Wednesday.

"And for people who work in that sector, [I imagine] it wasn't a surprise.

"I will be sitting down with my colleagues, as well as the department, to have further conversations to see what we can do [better]."

Like the Badgley research, the study asked people about eight different types of sexual abuse.
 
Of all types of sexual abuse surveyed, 92 per cent reached the threshold of a crime when perpetrated against adults. One hundred per cent reached the threshold of a crime when perpetrated against children, the study said.

The new data revealed that one in three Albertans experienced sexual abuse when they were under the age of 18. Two in three females and one in three males experienced abuse in their lifetime.

In most of the instances of child sexual abuse reported, the abuse was most likely committed by a male known by the victim, who most often did not live in the victim's home.

When considering those over the age of 18, 28 per cent of those surveyed said they had experienced abuse. Forty-one per cent of females experienced abuse in this age group compared to 17 per cent of males.

'I felt so lost and alone'

Ariane Campbell said she felt lost and alone as a child after experiencing abuse.

"I was sexually abused by my now ex-stepfather when I was eight years old. I didn't know what to do," she said.

"You try to use your adult brain to rationalize what you did as a child. It's really hard, because I didn't think that people would believe me.

"He put fear in me that I wouldn't be believed, that I would be in trouble, that I would be the one who would be punished."

Campbell said she eventually received support and counselling as an adult, and now, she would like to pay that back.

"It's so important for funding, for accessibility, to know that there is help available," she said.

Sawhney said the Alberta government would continue to make funding sexual abuse services in Alberta a priority, citing funding committed to sexual assault centres along with other provincial initiatives.

Over 1,500 adults over the age of 18 were surveyed from all areas of Alberta. To administer the survey, the research team procured a general population sample.