Last week, the Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of
Crime released a significant new report, "Rethinking Justice for Survivors of Sexual
Violence: A Systemic Investigation". The report casts a
critical light on how Canada's criminal justice system responds
to survivors of sexual violence—and where it continues to
fall short.
The investigation includes an in-depth analysis of the
experiences of survivors who have navigated the Canadian criminal
justice system. It examines how victims are treated throughout the
process, whether their allegations are taken seriously, what
supports and resources are available to them, and how
marginalization shapes their experience.
The report underscores recurring themes: survivors feeling
re-traumatized, unsupported, and silenced, with intersectional
factors often amplifying these harms. It reflects 18 months of
academic research, court case reviews, interviews, surveys, and
roundtable discussions, drawing on the
