I'm always a bit reluctant to accept statistics without seeing the background information. Unfortunately this report does not link to raw or corrected/weighted data which makes it difficult.
Two points came to my attention.
The first is that around 90% of all respondents believe that systemically the CF and it's chain of command takes these matters seriously and is/are responding appropriately to complaints which is a good thing. I don't see that statistic being played up in the press at all.
Second is the fact that the report states 1.7% of the regular force and 2.6% of the reserve force report having experienced a sexual assault (which includes everything from extreme-end rape etc to the low end of unwanted sexual touching) while the statistic for the working civilian population appears to be 0.9% in any situation. I have a problem as to the source of the 0.9% figure as when I go to the 2014 StatsCan Criminal Victimization in Canada survey it shows that for the periods of 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 the percentage of individuals reporting being the subject of "violent victimization for sexual assault" (the definition of which-despite the addition of the word "violent"-is the same as for the CAF survey) runs in the area of 2.0 to 2.2%. See:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2015001/article/14241-eng.htm which would generally put the reg force below the national average and the reserves somewhat above the national rate.
For me that's a significant difference and deserves a better explanation. I think any time that we're told that we commit offences within the CF at twice the rate of the civilian working population we need to analyze very clearly as to why that is. The first step is to see if the statistics being cited are comparing apples to apples. If anyone knows where the 0.9% comes from I'd be interested.
![Cheers! [cheers]](https://army.ca/forums/Smileys/Armyca/helmetcheers.gif)