Search cases
    Active cases
    Reform and analysis








R. v. Darrach (2000)


Download Supreme Court factum:
Download Ontario Court of Appeal factum:
Download media release (Feb 5, 1998):
Download media release (Oct 12, 2000):

The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously upheld provisions in the Criminal Code, which limit the use of a woman's sexual past history as evidence. In coalition with the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres, the DisAbled Women's Network, and the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, LEAF argued that using women's sexual past as evidence in a sexual assault was an attack on her dignity and a violation of her equality rights.

This ended a long battle over the so-called "rape shield" laws, which shield the complainant's past sexual history from being used in an effort to dismiss her complaint or imply consent. LEAF was involved in both law reform and litigation on this point of the law.


Supporting documents
(LEAF not responsible for content hosted by external links)

Supreme Court of Canada Decision (2000)