Former Mountie Krista Carle said she saw RCMP Cpl. Catherine Galliford tell her story on CBC News in November and was immediately inspired to tell her own story and to reach out to fellow officers online by starting a Facebook group.

“It’s almost like a group therapy with other single adult women that experienced harassment and are taking a stand against it,” she said.

Carle said she and many of her colleagues have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, some have been divorced and some can no longer work.

“I’ve had days I’ve been so depressed I just haven’t wanted to get out of bed and that’s where the Facebook site has been extremely supportive,” said Carle.

Carle told her own story to CBC News the day after Galliford’s story broke.

Former officer Heli Kijanen, of Thunder Bay, Ont., said she went for years without thinking that anyone would believe her accounts of harassment on the job, and also credits Galliford with helping her step forward.

“It was single adult women Catherine Galliford that triggered me to go forward and find someone who was going to listen to me, who knew how important it was for the public to know about the RCMP and what’s going on in this organization,” Kijanen said.

Carle said the growing number of single adult women coming forward is a sad commentary on the force.

“I think people will be really shocked and surprised that people have put up with this kind of nonsense. You don’t expect this from the RCMP. You expect better,” she said.