Behind Every Report is a Person

For more than two decades, Ally has stood in front of audiences sharing one message: You're not alone. 

As a survivor of child exploitation, Ally has dedicated much of her life advocating for victims of sexual violence, helping others find the courage to come forward and navigate the path to healing. 

Then, in 2023, Ally found herself facing the same difficult decision she had encouraged so many others to make. 

"It took me a couple of months to report," Ally said. "People think because I've been doing this work for so long, it would have been easy. It wasn't." 

When Ally finally reported the assault, she met Victoria Police (VicPD) Cst. Ross Lauderdale. 

Ally says she expects professionalism. What Ally didn't expect was someone whose patience and compassion would stay with her long after the investigation. 

"He reminded me that I was still human," she said. "That I'd been through a lot and that I deserved some grace." 

Like many survivors, her recovery wasn't a straight line. The trauma triggered a relapse into addiction, and Ally admits there were times she pushed away the people trying to help her. 

"I wasn't the easiest person to work with," Ally said. "Looking back now, I regret that." 

Ally remembers Cst. Lauderdale continued to check in, encouraging her to seek help, and treating her with dignity, even when she struggled to see it herself. 

"He always had my back," Ally said. Those words and the consistency behind them stayed with her. 

Today, Ally is in recovery and working as a community safety officer for a private company in downtown Victoria, where she spends her days helping people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and crisis. Ally also volunteers with vulnerable members of the community and is working toward her goal of becoming a paramedic. 

She credits many people for helping her rebuild her life but says Cst. Lauderdale was one of those who never stopped believing she could move forward. 

"He always believed I could do this," Ally said. "Even now, I still hear his voice reminding me to keep going." 

Ally wanted to tell her story for two reasons. The first was to say thank you, "This is my way of making amends and saying thank you," she said. "I know I wasn't always easy to help, but he never gave up on me."  

The second was for other survivors who may be wondering whether to come forward. "It's still okay to report," Ally said. "It's going to be hard, but there are officers like Cst. Lauderdale who are there to help you through it." 

Ally also hopes stories like hers remind people that some of the most meaningful police work happens away from headlines and flashing lights. 

"The work VicPD officers do with victims is incredibly hard," Ally said. "Sometimes what someone needs most is patience, someone who listens, someone who doesn't give up on them." 

For Cst. Lauderdale, those moments may be part of the job, but for one survivor, they helped change the direction of her life for the better.