{"id":12640,"date":"2020-05-29T11:38:59","date_gmt":"2020-05-29T15:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/?p=12640"},"modified":"2020-11-27T11:08:57","modified_gmt":"2020-11-27T16:08:57","slug":"slatterleave","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/fr\/news\/slatterleave\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court of Canada grants\u00a0LEAF-DAWN-ARCH\u00a0coalition\u00a0leave\u00a0to intervene\u00a0in\u00a0R v Slatter\u00a0to advance substantive equality\u00a0rights\u00a0for\u00a0women\u00a0labelled with intellectual disabilities\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On<\/span> May 19, 2020, <\/span>the coalition consisting of <\/span>LEAF, <\/span>DisAbled<\/span> Women\u2019s Network Canada (\u201cDAWN\u201d) and ARCH Disability Law Centre (\u201cARCH\u201d) <\/span>was<\/span> granted leave to intervene in <\/span>R v Slatter<\/span><\/i> to appear before the Supreme Court of Canada. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

T<\/span>he <\/span>LEAF-DAWN-ARCH <\/span>coalition<\/span>, represented by Suzan Fraser (Fraser Advocacy) and Kerri Joffe (ARCH),<\/span> <\/span>will advance an intersectional equality analysis<\/span> highlighting<\/span> the<\/span> implications of the<\/span> <\/span>case <\/span>on the substantive equality rights <\/span>of<\/span> women labelled with intellectual and\/or developmental disabilities<\/span>, and<\/span> on<\/span> their access to justice<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF-DAWN-ARCH\u2019s interest in the appeal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This case involves a woman labelled with an intellectual disability who disclosed sexual assault. At trial, defence counsel argued that the complainant\u2019s evidence was unreliable, because her disability made her suggestible. The trial judge convicted the accused of sexually assaulting the complainant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The majority of the Ontario Court of Appeal<\/a> overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial, finding the judge\u2019s reasons were not sufficient. In particular, the majority held that that the trial judge failed to address what they found to be a central issue: the complainant\u2019s reliability and suggestibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stereotypes about women labelled with intellectual disabilities<\/span> should not be used to <\/span>justify imposing <\/span>a<\/span> more onerous standard when assessing the reliability of evidence of complainants labelled with intellectual and\/or developmental disabilities<\/span> <\/span>in relation to their testimony <\/span>in sexual assault cases.  Doing so<\/span> <\/span>will<\/span> further silence the<\/span> voices of these <\/span>women<\/span>.<\/span> Such silencing is evident in the case under appeal. This has a deeply damaging impact on access to justice for women labelled with intellectual and\/or developmental disabilities. It is particularly troubling, given the high rates of s<\/span>exual assault among women with disabilities. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab\u00a0This appeal is an important one for the LEAF-DAWN-ARCH coalition,\u201d says Megan Stephens, Executive Director and General Counsel of LEAF. \u201cBuilding on our past interventions in sexual assault appeals, our submissions will ensure that the Supreme Court appreciates <\/span>how the imposition of a<\/span> <\/span><\/b>more onerous standard when assessing the reliability of evidence of complainants<\/span> <\/span>labelled with intellectual and\/or developmental disabilities <\/span>can undermine <\/span>their <\/span>substantive equality rights<\/span>.\u00a0\u00bb<\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/span>Equality rights for women and girls with disabilities have not been won yet in Canad<\/span>a<\/span>,\u201d says Bonnie Brayton, Executive Director of DAWN.<\/span> <\/span>\u201c<\/span>This case, which could substantially advance the concept of intersectional human rights as the desired framework, begins to move the courts and judicial system into the real world of victims of gender<\/span>–<\/span>based<\/span> <\/span>violence, where intersecting identities place some women at higher risk of being a victim<\/span>, and can also make them less likely to be believed<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere <\/span>are<\/span> fundamental access to justice issues at stake for women with disabilities in this appeal,\u201d states Robert Lattanzio, Executive Director of ARCH. \u00ab\u00a0LEAF-DAWN-ARCH’s intervention focuses on the role of generalizations and stereotypes about women labelled with intellectual and\/or developmental disabilities. These <\/span>generalizations minimize<\/span> the reliability of women with disabilities’ testimony in sexual assault <\/span>cases, and<\/span> have a deeply damaging impact on their access to justice.\u00a0\u00bb<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case committee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

LEAF-DAWN-ARCH\u2019s <\/span>arguments have been, and will be, <\/span>informed and supported by a case committee composed of academics and practitioners with expertise <\/span>in the relevant issues. The<\/span> committee members for this intervention <\/span>are<\/span> (in alphabetical order):\u202fShelley Fletcher (People First of Canada), <\/span>Karine-Myrgianie<\/span> Jean-Fran\u00e7ois (<\/span>DAWN<\/span>), Barb McIntyre (Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre), Janet Mosher (<\/span>Osgoode<\/span> Hall Law <\/span>School), Roxanne Mykitiuk (<\/span>Osgoode<\/span> Hall Law School), and Tess Sheldon (Faculty of Law, University of Windsor).<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For background and judicial history of the case, see our earlier <\/span>announcement<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

About Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) works to advance the substantive equality rights of women and girls through litigation, law reform, and public education. Since 1985, <\/span>LEAF has<\/span> intervened in landmark cases that have advanced equality in Canada\u2014helping to prevent violence, eliminate discrimination in the workplace, provide better maternity benefits, ensure a right to pay equity, and allow access to reproductive freedoms.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About DisAbled Women Network Canada (DAWN)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Established in 1985, DAWN is a national, feminist, cross-disability organization that has provided opportunities for self-determination and leadership development for women and girls with disabilities for 35 years. DAWN\u2019s mission is to end the poverty, isolation, discrimination and violence experienced by Canadian women with disabilities and Deaf women.<\/span> <\/span>DAWN works towards the advancement and inclusion of women and girls with disabilities and Deaf women and girls by creating change at a systemic level. DAWN has intervened before the Supreme Court of Canada on its own, or in coalition with LEAF, in numerous criminal and human rights-related cases<\/span>. <\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About ARCH Disability Law Centre (ARCH)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

ARCH is a specialty legal clinic, with a 40-year history of defending and advancing the equality rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. ARCH is governed by a community-based board of directors, the majority of whom are persons with disabilities. ARCH provides legal advice directly to persons with disabilities in Ontario, conducts test case litigation before all levels of courts and tribunals, and maintains an extensive law reform practice. ARCH has particular expertise in human rights law, equality rights law and access to justice for persons with disabilities.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For media inquiries, contact:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Suzan E. Fraser <\/span><\/b>
Fraser Advocacy
T\u202f: 416 703 9555<\/span>
E\u202f: <\/span>fraser@fraseradvocacy.com<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kerri Joffe
<\/span><\/b>Staff Lawyer
ARCH Disability Law Centre
E: <\/span>joffek@lao.on.ca<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[197,184,25,210,17,95,97,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12640","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","category-access-to-justice","category-disability","category-featured","category-leaf-cases","category-media-releases","category-sexual-assault","category-violence-against-women-cases","category-whats-new"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSupreme Court of Canada grants\u00a0LEAF-DAWN-ARCH\u00a0coalition\u00a0leave\u00a0to intervene\u00a0in\u00a0R v Slatter\u00a0to advance substantive equality\u00a0rights\u00a0for\u00a0women\u00a0labelled with intellectual disabilities\u00a0 - LEAF<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/fr\/news\/slatterleave\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Supreme Court of Canada grants\u00a0LEAF-DAWN-ARCH\u00a0coalition\u00a0leave\u00a0to intervene\u00a0in\u00a0R v Slatter\u00a0to advance substantive equality\u00a0rights\u00a0for\u00a0women\u00a0labelled with intellectual disabilities\u00a0 - 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