from the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC):
May 9, 2024
Multiple sexual assault cases did not proceed through the legal system in in Ontario recently, due to foreseeable judge shortages, court delays and Crown delays.
As a result, those who were charged in these cases were not held accountable by the criminal justice system. Moreover, sexual violence survivors who had the courage to report did not see their case proceed. Other criminal justice cases that have been similarly stayed or ‘thrown out’ in Ontario have affected adults, youth and children who reported sexual violence, as well as survivors of human trafficking.
As sexual violence survivor advocates, we at Ontario Coalition of Rape CrisisCentres (OCRCC) are incensed by these realities. Sexual assault already has the lowest rate of reporting to police amongst all violent crimes. Practical barriers – and negative experiences – connected to the court process only makes things worse for victims who come forward. These system failings also erode the public’s trust in our criminal justice system.
- Read more here
- May is Sexual Violence Prevention Month! Make sure you are following @ocrcc_on and #SurvivorsFirst on all social media, so that you can stay in the loop with events, initiatives, and messaging from sexual assault centres across Ontario
Comments are closed