Advocates in Ottawa are demanding significant reforms to Canada's criminal justice system to address how sexual assault survivors are treated by police, lawyers, and judges. This call for change comes amid growing concerns that survivors feel too intimidated to report their assaults, leading to many cases going unreported.
Intimidation and Barriers to Reporting
Janath Vesna, the director of programs for the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre, explained that survivors often feel overwhelmed at the prospect of reporting incidents to police. The process of discussing such an intimate violation with a stranger, often a uniformed male officer, can be highly intimidating. This barrier is even more profound for individuals from racialized communities, who may view these systems as colonial structures of power.
Vesna's comments highlight a critical failure in the current system, where the very institutions meant to provide justice can instead discourage survivors from coming forward.
Federal Report Reveals Systemic Harms
The advocacy efforts gained significant momentum following the release of a damning report by the federal ombudsperson for victims of crime. Published on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the report titled "Rethinking Justice for Survivors of Sexual Violence: A Systemic Investigation" details how the criminal justice system inflicts further harm on survivors.
Benjamin Roebuck, who holds the position of federal ombudsperson for victims of crime and is also a professor of victimology at Algonquin College, authored the report. The investigation was comprehensive, drawing from interviews with thousands of survivors, police officers, Crown and defence attorneys, and judges nationwide. The research team also examined case studies, conducted surveys, and analyzed news articles.
Key Issues Identified in the Justice System
Roebuck stated that Canada's criminal justice system betrays sexual assault survivors through frequent case delays and dropped charges. A major factor identified is the 2016 R v. Jordan ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada. This ruling, which established the right to be tried within a reasonable time and limits unreasonable trial delays, has paradoxically led to sexual assault charges being stayed, including cases involving children.
The report identified another deeply troubling practice: the subpoena of survivors' counselling and therapy records. Roebuck described this as a profound violation and breach of trust, forcing many survivors into an impossible choice between seeking justice and accessing essential mental health resources.
In the foreword to his report, Roebuck delivered a powerful indictment, stating that the administration of justice is in "open disrepute" because the harms are so well-recognized that even police officers and Crown lawyers sometimes caution survivors against reporting or pressing charges.
