Starting July 5, policing standards for responding to sexual assaults introduced last year will come into effect. All police agencies in BC will be required to investigate sexual assaults in a survivor-centred, trauma-informed and culturally safe way. These new standards promote police coordination with Community-Based Victim Services (CBVS) and create accountability for evidence-based investigations.  

One of the key changes to the policing standards is the integration of the Provincial Third Party Reporting Protocol into police policies and procedures. This means that all police detachments are required to accept Third Party Reports. Police must also communicate with and provide information to the CBVS program that makes the Third Party Report. 

What is Third Party Reporting (TPR)? 

Third Party Reporting (TPR) is a way for survivors of sexual assault to access community supports and services. With TPR, survivors can provide information on what happened to them through a CBVS program without needing to provide their name and contact information to police.         

This process gives survivors time to decide if, and when, they may be ready to engage with the criminal justice system while still providing police with information about what happened to them.  

Before 2023, TPR was established through the Provincial Third Party Reporting Protocol which was endorsed by the BC Association of Chiefs of Police. Incorporating TPR into the new policing standards supports a consistent provincial approach. 

For more information on Third Party Reporting, contact ccss@endingviolence.org.