In 2012, Janet Merlo was among the first female RCMP officers to publicly allege she had experienced sexual harassment and gender discrimination while serving in Canada’s national police force. The women kept silent for so long, she says, because there was no one to tell. In this courageous memoir, Janet recalls how her love of policing was soured by covert and overt sexism within the ranks and by an institutional culture that valued toughness and silence over ethics and accountability.
Tracing her twenty years in uniform, Merlo’s story details the highs and lows of her career in the RCMP – while her mental health and personal life disintegrated. Eventually, the cost of keeping quiet was simply too high, and her story emerges as a lone, brave voice seeking change.
Contributors
Janet Merlo
Janet Merlo is a retired member of the RCMP. Originally from Harbour Grace, Merlo now lives with her two daughters in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She is the representative plaintiff in a proposed class-action lawsuit against the RCMP.
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This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada. Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.
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