Key developments: addressing sexual misconduct

The Department of National Defence is committed to providing a workplace free from sexual assault, harassment and discrimination. Since 2015, DND/CAF has made steady progress, implementing a range of programs, policies and practices needed for addressing sexual misconduct and, most importantly, providing support for those affected by it. This page offers links to news, articles and publications about our efforts. 

Date Headline Topic Format
2020-11-18 Canadian Armed Forces releases DAOD 9005-1, Sexual Misconduct Response, which unifies and clarifies the existing CAF policy approach on sexual misconduct. Orders, policies and procedures News story
2020-10-28 Canadian Armed Forces announces comprehensive sexual misconduct response strategy: The Path to Dignity and Respect: The CAF Sexual Misconduct Response Strategy Strategies and action plans News release
2020-10-08 Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence issue statement in response to Statistics Canada’s report on Canadian Military College students’ experiences of unwanted sexualized and discriminatory behaviours and sexual assault 2019 Research and data collection Announcement/statement
2020-09-01 Brigadier-General Andrew Atherton becomes Director General Professional Military Conduct Governance and leadership Other
2020-05-25 Claims period opens for CAF-DND sexual misconduct class action settlement Affected person support News story
2019-11-26 CAF/DND sexual misconduct class action settlement approved: Message from DM and the CDS Affected person support Defence Team message
2019-08-21 SMRC launches the Sexual Assault Centre Contribution Program Affected person support News release
2019-08-19 Canadian Forces Military Police reports results from the Sexual Assault Review Program case review Investigation and military justice News release
2019-08-13 CAF releases 2019 Sexual Misconduct Incident Tracking Report: Statement by the Director General of Professional Military Conduct--Operation HONOUR (no link available) Research and data collection Announcement/statement
2019-08-12 SMRC launches new Response and Support Coordination Program Affected person support News release
2019-08-01 DND releases 2018/2019 SMRC Annual Report Accountability Report
2019-07-29 CAF to release outcomes of administrative action to victims of sexual misconduct Orders, policies and procedures News release
2019-07-30 CAF/DND Sexual Misconduct Class Actions: Message from DM and CDS Affected person support Defence Team message
2019-07-17 Royal assent of Bill C-77 marks a historic moment in the evolution of the military justice system Investigation and military justice News story
2019-07-30 CAF Strategic Response Team—Sexual Misconduct renamed Directorate Professional Military Conduct—Operation HONOUR and new mandate established Governance and leadership Other
2019-07-30 SMRC mandate expanded Governance and leadership Other
2019-05-28 DND/CAF Parliamentary Appearance: Treatment of women within the Department of National Defence Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2019-05-27 DND/CAF Parliamentary Appearance: Bill C-77 Law enforcement and military justice Parliamentary appearance
2019-05-22 VCDS addresses Statistics Canada 2018 Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces Research and data collection News release
2019-05-14 DND/CAF Parliamentary Appearance: Treatment of women within the Department of National Defence Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2019-04-11 DND/CAF Parliamentary Appearance: Diversity within the CAF- Operation HONOUR Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2019-04-11 CAF releases suite of interim products to define sexual misconduct and issues new direction and guidance Orders, policies and procedures News story
2019-02-21 DND/CAF Parliamentary Appearance: Diversity within the CAF Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2019-02-26 CAF Releases fourth progress report on addressing sexual misconduct in the CAF Accountability Report
2019-01-29 DND/CAF Parliamentary Appearance: Auditor General report on inappropriate sexual behaviour in the CAF Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2018-12-06 SMRC hosts first forum on sexual misconduct with Five Eyes partners Affected person support News release
2018-12-04 CAF Chief Warrant Officer, CWO Alain Guimond shares his vision of what’s next for Operation HONOUR (no link available) Governance and leadership News story
2018-11-20 Auditor General report on Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour in the CAF: Message from the Minister Audits, reviews and studies Announcement/statement
2018-11-19 Military Police Launch Sexual Assault Review Program Law enforcement and military justice News release
2018-11-10 Commodore Rebecca Patterson becomes Director General of CAF Strategic Response Team-Sexual Misconduct (no link available) Governance and leadership Announcement/statement
2018-10-23 DND/CAF Parliamentary appearance: Bill C-77 Law enforcement and military justice Parliamentary appearance
2018-10-03 SMRC releases second annual report Accountability News release
2018-10-01 CAF launches Operation HONOUR Tracking and Analysis System Research and data collection Other
2018-09-20 DND releases findings from internal review of all 2010-2016 Canadian Forces Military Police (CF MP) sexual assault files (no link available) Law enforcement and military justice News release
2018-09-17 CAF launches new and improved Op HONOUR website Accountability News story
2018-08-10 CAF launches promotion campaign for 2018 Statistics Canada Survey on Sexual Misconduct Research and data collection News story
2018-07-01 CAF rolls out Respect in the CAF Workshop Training and education Other
2018-07-20 CAF establishes Integrated Complaint and Conflict Management (ICCM) and 16 Conflict and Complaint Management Services (CCMS) centres are implemented CAF-wide Affected person support News story
2018-06-15 CAF releases directive on retention of CAF members affected by harmful and innapropriate sexual behaviour Orders, policies and procedures Orders, policies and procedures
2018-06-06 First meeting of the External Advisory Council (no link available) Governance and leadership Other
2018-06-11 DND/CAF Parliamentary appearance: Sexual harassment and violence in defence and security institutions (no link available) Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2018-05-28 DND/CAF Parliamentary appearance: Sexual harassment and violence in defence and security institutions (no link available) Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2018-05-10 Minister Sajjan tables legislation to enhance support for victims in the Military Justice System (Bill C-77) Law enforcement and military justice News release
2018-02-26 DND/CAF Parliamentary Appearance: The state of the CAF (no link available) Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2018-02-23 Suspension of class action lawsuits relating to sexual assault, racism, harrassment and discrimination: Statement from Minsiter Sajjan Affected person support Announcement/statement
2018-01-26 New Sexual Misconduct Action Response Team (SMART) and amendments to prosecution policies Law enforcement and military justice News story
2017-11-30 SMRC announces implementation of new charter Governance and leadership News release
2017-11-28 CDS addresses findings of 2016 Statistics Canada Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the CAF Research and data collection News release
2017-09-01 Results of the National Defence Review Services review of the establishment of the SMRC Audits, reviews and studies Report
2017-07-31 SMRC publishes first annual report Accountability Report
2017-07-24 SMRC launches 24/7 services Affected person support News release
2017-07-19 CAF launches Respect in the CAF mobile app on sexual misconduct response and support Training and education News release
2017-06-07 Release of Canada's Defence Policy -- Strong, Secure, Engaged Initiative 18 demonstrates the CAF's commitment to eliminate sexual misconduct from its ranks Orders, policies and procedures Orders, policies and procedures
2017-05-23 Dr. Denise Preston becomes the Executive Director of the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre Governance and leadership News release
2017-04-28 CAF releases third progress report on addressing inappropriate sexual behaviour Accountability Report
2017-04-01 Operation HONOUR content added to common leadership programs at the Canadian Military Colleges to CA Ethics Course, and to RCAF training programs at Training Establishments (no link available) Training and education Other
2017-03-01 CDS Guidance to Commanding Officers and Leadership Teams is updated to include section on eliminating sexual misconduct in the CAF (no link available) Orders, policies and procedures Orders, policies and procedures
2016-12-01 CDS issues direction on adminstrative actions for CAF members found guilty of sexual misconduct (no link available) Orders, policies and procedures Orders, policies and procedures
2016-11-28 CDS addresses Stats Canada Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the CAF Research and data collection News release
2016-09-29 DND/CAF Parliamentary appearance: Update on sexual misconduct in the CAF (no link available) Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2016-09-27 Military Police launch Sexual Offence Response Team (SORT) Law enforcement and military justice News release
2016-09-21 DND/CAF Parliamentary appearance: General Vance and Lieutenant-General Whitecross discuss Operation HONOUR (no link available) Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2016-08-30 CAF publishes second progress report on addressing inappropriate sexual behaviour Accountability News release
2016-08-15 CAF publishes assessement of all CAF education and training programs (no link available) Training and education Report
2016-04-19 CAF/DND Parliamentary Appearance: Women, Peace and Security (no link available) Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary Appearance
2016-02-01 CAF releases first progress report addressing inappropriate sexual behaviour Accountability News release
2015-09-28 Rear-Admiral Jennifer Bennett appointed Director General, CAF Strategic Response Team-Sexual Misconduct (no link available) Governance and leadership Other
2015-09-16 Interim Sexual Misconduct Response Centre opens: Statement from the DM and the CDS Affected person support Announcement/statement
2015-08-14 CDS issues orders for Operation HONOUR Orders, policies and procedures Defence Team message
2015-07-23 CDS General Jonathan Vance sends message to CAF personnel about Harmful Sexual Behaviour (no link available) Orders, policies and procedures Defence Team message
2015-05-25 DND/CAF Parliamentary appearance: Major-General Whitecross, Commander CSRT-SM and Mme Deschamps brief the Standing Committee on National Defence Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary appearance
2015-03-30 External Review Authority releases report on review into Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces Audits, reviews and studies Defence Team message
2015-02-25 CDS issues Initiating Directive to create CAF Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct (CSRT-SM) Governance and leadership Orders, policies and procedures
2014-07-09 CDS General Lawson updates CAF members on the launch of the external independent review Audits, reviews and studies Announcement/statement
2014-05-27 DND/CAF Parliamentary appearance: CDS with Chief of Military Personnel, Judge Advocate General, Defence Champion for Women, and CF Provost Marshall Audits, reviews and studies Parliamentary Appearance
2014-04-28 CDS announces external independent review of workplace policies and procedures Audits, reviews and studies Statement
2021-06-01 Defence Minister releases results of the Third Independent Review of the National Defence Act and begins implementation of recommendations Audits, reviews and studies News release
2021-04-29 New initiatives to advance culture change for Canada’s Defence Team Governance and leadership News release
2021-03-24 Acting Chief of the Defence Staff announces culmination of Operation HONOUR and focus for next steps Governance and leadership Announcement/statement

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