Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees that every individual is equal before and under the law. This principle becomes particularly curious when those responsible for enforcing the law are themselves convicted of crimes, and the consequences are perceived as less severe than those for civilians. In such situations, questions of accountability, transparency, and equality before the law become central.
This study examined the disciplinary outcomes for sworn police officers in the province of Alberta who have been accused or convicted of criminal offences. A troubling double standard emerges when comparing civilian applicants, who must maintain clean criminal records, with sworn officers who remain employed despite violations of the Police Act and the Criminal Code. Union protections, evidentiary dynamics, and opaque disciplinary systems may shift wrongdoing into internal administrative procedures. Compounding this, such cases are often not systematically recorded or published, limiting transparency and oversight.
Drawing on government databases and research documenting violations committed by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, municipal police services, and First Nations policing agencies within Alberta, this study assessed patterns of misconduct and institutional responses. The findings suggest a persistent double standard and disconcerting outcomes for officers who are convicted of violent versus property crimes. Over 40% of officers who committed violent crime remain employed, compared with ~10% of officers who commit theft or fraud.
The TikTok Study is a research project focused on the experiences of survivors who have chosen to name the person who harmed them using social media publicly. We want to understand what influenced their decision, as well as the emotional and personal impacts of naming them and sharing their story.
Exploring the intersectional complexities when using social media to identify perpetrators of gender-based violence (The Tik Tok Study).
This study has received ethics approval from Mount Royal University’s Human Research Ethics Board. For any questions related to ethics, contact hreb@mtroyal.ca
If you’re interested in participating, please email: tiktokstudymru@gmail.com
What’s Involved
We’re interested in learning more about your experiences. We aim to understand what influenced your decision to speak out, as well as the emotional and personal impact of sharing your story publicly. We will not ask you any questions about the harm itself. And you don’t have to re-tell your story.
You must be 18 years or older and currently reside in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, or a country within the European Union. If you live outside these regions, please let us know, as you may still be eligible to participate depending on local laws.
Participants are recruited from TikTok and asked to participate in a 45–60-minute interview, which will be audio recorded. You must be able to converse in English. Interview questions can be found here.
If you’re interested in participating, please email: tiktokstudymru@gmail.com
The Team
Leanna Ireland: I’m an Assistant Professor in the Criminal Justice Program at Mount Royal University. My dissertation research explored how people respond to societal injustices, including how and why they share their own stories on social media. I’m passionate about understanding the many ways people speak out and take action, often through digital spaces. I feel fortunate to do this work and to learn from the strength and insight of the people and communities I connect with. Outside of work, I enjoy biking, baking vegetables into sweets, and always having a book on the go.
D. Scharie Tavcer: I’m an Associate Professor in the Criminal Justice Degree Program at MRU, and I’ve taught here for over 20 years. I’m passionate about social justice issues specific to gender-based violence, criminal law and sentencing, and reintegration. Having studied sexual violence for years, my focus is on consent education and the importance of including the voices of those with lived experience. I’m the daughter of European immigrants who came to Canada in the 1960s, and I’m proud of that heritage. I acknowledge the people indigenous to this land, I’m an ally to the 2SLGBTTIQ+ community, and I speak loudly when I see injustice to marginalised peoples. I have a teenager and a cuddly labradoodle, and I love movies, books, and sleep.
Research Assistant: Arianna D’Alfonso, 3rd year student in the Criminal Justice Degree Program at MRU. Arianna is a motivated, driven, and compassionate student who has a strong academic background in trauma-informed care, gender-based violence, and research methods. She’s passionate about amplifying survivor voices and learning more about intersectionality and the gender-based violence experience. She’s eager to explore the experiences of those who use social media as a tool to speak out about their previous experiences with violence.
This book published by Routledge, is the culmination of three years of research into sexual violence policies and sexual consent education at post-secondary institutions across Canada. The prevalence of sexual violence has not changed in more than 30 years, and its reporting to police or school authorities has only waxed and waned over those years. In response, this book asks what can be done differently to reduce the number of victims and potential perpetrators?
In Canada and United States, approximately one in three women over the age of 15 has experienced sexual assault during her lifetime (Benoit et al., 2015; Cantalupo, 2011; Fisher et al., 2000; Holland & Cortina, 2017; Karjane et al., 2002; Krebs et al., 2007; Tjaden & Thoeness, 2000; United States Department of Justice, 2017). Despite, one in five women and one in 16 men being sexually assaulted during their stay at a post-secondary institution (PSI) (Fisher et al., 2000), more than 90% of sexual assault victims do not report the assault to school authorities (Krebs et al., 2007; Krebs et al., 2016). The lack of reporting by PSI students is consistent with general Canadian and American statistics that reveal that only 1 in 10 acts of sexual violence is reported to police officials (Brennan and Taylor-Butts, 2008; Department of Justice, 2017). And furthermore, those statistics have not changed in decades. As a result of these facts, I want to explore what can be done differently – what can PSIs do to reduce the numbers of victims and potential perpetrators too.
The first aspect was an environmental scan of over 120 PSIs across Canada to collate what consent-based education they offer and how it is delivered (in person, online, mandatory etc.). Next, I conducted face-to-face and telephone interviews with students at two PSIs (one in AB and the other in NB). In addition, I interviewed staff at these institutions (residence, security, sexual violence coordinators etc.). And I also held a focus group with sexual health educator experts from the Calgary community. Among other questions, I asked students to define consent and to identify what consent education exists at their university and who receives the education. And I asked them if consent education should be mandatory and if it should be mandatory for everyone on campus, not just students but for faculty, staff, and administrators.
We have the full version of the module and this shortened Canadian Consent 101 module. Click this linkto be redirected.
The Consent 101 online module is one outcome of my three-year research project on sexual consent education at post-secondary institutions across Canada. The prevalence of sexual violence has not changed in more than 30 years, and its reporting to police or school authorities has only waxed and waned over those years. I queried what can be done differently to reduce the number of victims and potential perpetrators. The project captured over 160 student voices and over 20 sexual violence staff and subject experts. The findings informed the book and led to the creation of the online sexual consent education module. The module educates users on the law, consent & power dynamics, bystander interventions, supporting others, and reporting options and consequences.
