Talk to an Expert – Notes

12 Third Party Reporting – Ending Violence Association of BC

  • Third party reporting (TPR) emerged in the 1980s in sexual assault centers. Allows someone who has been assaulted to report to the police anonymously via a third party.
  • There are many barriers in reporting incidents to police – police haven not always been trauma informed.
  • There is a standardized process to complete an anonymous report.
  • TPRs are always submitted to police.
  • Community-based victim services can take reports (funded via the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
  • AMS at UBC can also take third party reports.
  • Police will not necessarily act – but if there are multiple reports on the same area/perpetrator, then the police could move forward.
  • Alternatively, the police may ask the third-party reporting agency to ask the victim if they are willing to come forward and make a statement.
  • One of the benefits of TPR is that the victim receives support throughout the process. And, the TPR agency keeps all the personal information.