When a video recording of a teenage girl being interviewed by a Kelowna RCMP member came up in the House of Commons last year, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale described it as "absolutely abhorrent."

Eight years later, Aden Lee Withers has been given a substantial financial settlement by the detachment, and some hope that women will be treated better in the future. 

Details of the settlement reached between Withers and the RCMP are being kept confidential, but the police are saying this much. "We regret this incident and remain committed to improving how our employees respond to victims and investigate allegations of sexual assault," said Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet in an email to KelownaNow. "This incident highlighted the importance for the RCMP to continue to review and update our sexual assault investigative training, practices and policies."

In the notorious interview, Withers, who had come forward after an alleged sexual assault was subjected to a lengthy grilling, with the RCMP officer at one point asking her if she was "turned-on" at all during her ordeal. Later, she would be charged with public mischief after her allegations were disbelieved by the police.

Photo Credit: ContributedWithers, who was 17 at that time, later attempted suicide and has lived with anxiety and post-traumatic stress ever since. This week, she reached a settlement with the police. "I feel much more empowered now," Withers said in a video interview at KelownaNow. The settlement is for a substantial sum, but she said it doesn't make things right. Nothing will. "It doesn't replace the experience I went through and you can't put a dollar figure on trauma."

Withers said she does have some reason for optimism that her case may have made things better for others in the future. "I know that a lot of RCMP officers will be conducting themselves in a more professional manner," said Withers. And she hopes women feel they can safely come forward if they are sexually assaulted. "I'm not going to say the system is perfect," she said, "but I still would still encourage people to go forward and report."

Withers is hoping to use her settlement to go back to school and get into advocacy work so she can help women who find themselves in similar circumstances.