Press release: Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) stands in support of a survivor of sexual assualt and her claim against the London Police Services for investigating her sexual assault and then dismissing her allegation as “unfounded”. The central figure in The Globe and Mail’s recent investigative report on unfounded sex assaults, has today launched a constitutional challenge against the London Police Service (“LPS”).
The Claim alleges the manner in which the LPS treats sexual assault complainants and the dismissal of those complaints as unfounded, a classification effectively meaning that the complainant was not believed, constitutes sex discrimination. In addition, the survivor seeks damages under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for her treatment by the force and its detectives when she brought a complaint of having been raped when she was a student at the University of Western Ontario in 2010.
As her statement outlines, gender bias can present in individual cases of sexual assault, reproducing myths about sexual violence and compromising the capacity of such cases to move forward in the criminal justice system. The Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) stands behind her in speaking out about these experiences.
See here for the media release from OCRCC and media release from Joseph Avray, legal counsel.
To contribute to a fund that will help offset Ava’s legal fees and other expenses related to this case, click this link.
Media Contacts:
Nicole Pietsch, Coordinator, Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC)
Tel: 905-299-4428
ocrcccoordinator@hotmail.com
Joseph J. Arvay, Q.C., legal counsel
Tel: 604-661-9338
jarvay@farris.com
Luciana Brasil
Tel: 604-654-2999
lbrasil@branmac.com
