The federal government’s latest Speech from the Throne recognized the “harm that gender-based violence continues to do to Canadian society,” and committed to the development of an action plan to address this pervasive social problem. There are many areas for improvement, both with regard to prevention and also in how our legal and social systems deal with victims.
The purpose of this series of articles, published in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Legal Innovation in Sexual Assault Response (CCLISAR) in early 2020, is to shine a light on the gaps that policy-makers, legislators and the courts need to fill. Experts touch on such areas as the legal response to victims of intimate partner violence; how victims can better attain justice in the spheres of post-secondary education, the military and sports; how to respect the rights of victimized children and prevent sexualized abuse; and the need for better social, legal and police supports for victims of assault.