---
title: "VPD holds first BC-wide sex crimes symposium and expands women's safety workshops"
description: "The Vancouver Police Department ran the first province-wide sex crimes symposium for officers this October and reports its women's personal safety workshops have now reached over 15,000 participants since 2012."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/vpd-gender-based-violence-programs-october-30"
last_updated: "2026-10-31T00:55:55.920Z"
---

The Vancouver Police Department held the first province-wide sex crimes symposium for BC law enforcement in October 2026 and says its Women's Personal Safety workshops have now served more than 15,000 women since the program launched in 2012, according to a VPD announcement on October 30.

The symposium, organized by Senior Crime Analyst Ryan Villamin of the VPD's Special Investigation Section, was held at the Roundhouse Community Centre. It brought together officers from law enforcement agencies across British Columbia to share knowledge on legal challenges, investigative psychology, and methods specific to sex crimes. The goal, the VPD says, is to foster inter-agency collaboration so police across the province can prevent and investigate sex-based violence more effectively. Staff Sergeant Astrid Bonter was among those who took part.

## Workshops have grown from two to eight per year

The Women's Personal Safety workshops are led by Inspector Colleen Yee and Sergeant Alice Yee and funded by the Vancouver Police Foundation. When the program started in 2012, it ran two workshops per year. The VPD now holds at least eight per year. The most recent session had 175 attendees, double the usual number, the VPD said.

The workshops cover how to recognize predatory behavior, how offenders choose targets, how to respond to common attacks, and how to report crimes to police. Sessions are free and open to women in the city. The VPD says the program has also helped police services in other parts of Canada, the Asia-Pacific region, Eastern Europe, and New Zealand develop their own versions.

## What residents can do

Women in Vancouver can attend the workshops at no cost. Sessions are held at least eight times per year. Information about upcoming workshops is available at vpd.ca, or you can contact VPD headquarters at 2120 Cambie Street, open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

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