{"id":21758,"date":"2021-09-29T15:21:25","date_gmt":"2021-09-29T19:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/?post_type=news&p=21758"},"modified":"2021-09-29T15:21:27","modified_gmt":"2021-09-29T19:21:27","slug":"leaf-to-make-arguments-at-upcoming-supreme-court-hearing-on-use-of-survivors-private-records-in-sexual-assault-trials","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/fr\/news\/leaf-to-make-arguments-at-upcoming-supreme-court-hearing-on-use-of-survivors-private-records-in-sexual-assault-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"LEAF to make arguments at upcoming Supreme Court hearing on use of survivors\u2019 private records in sexual assault trials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

September 29, 2021<\/strong> \u2013 Respecting the equality rights of sexual assault survivors is an access to justice issue, says the Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 5 and 6, 2021, the Supreme Court will hear submissions in A.S. v. Her Majesty the Queen<\/em><\/a>. LEAF will appear before the Court to support the equality rights of sexual assault survivors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.S. <\/em>is a constitutional challenge to the legal framework governing what happens when an accused person has a sexual assault complainant\u2019s private records in their possession, and wants to use those records at trial. LEAF will argue that the framework is constitutional, as it enhances the equality rights of complainants while respecting the accused\u2019s right to full answer and defence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSexual assault complainants are deeply impacted by the use of their private records,\u201d says Kat Owens, Project Director at LEAF. \u201cThe challenged legal framework recognizes and responds to that reality, and promotes access to justice for complainants.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the framework, an accused person who has possession of a complainant\u2019s private records (such as text messages, photographs, and medical records) cannot surprise the complainant with these records during a trial. Instead, the accused person must ask the judge to hold a separate hearing and decide whether or not to allow the records to be used in court. The judge will consider different factors in making the decision, including factors supporting the equality rights of complainants. Complainants have the right to participate in these hearings, and to have access to independent counsel to help them participate.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToo often, the equality, dignity, and privacy rights of complainants are pushed aside during criminal trials\u201d says Owens. \u201cThis framework is an important step towards respecting these rights, while appropriately balancing the rights of the accused.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelley Bryan (PBP Lawyers) and Karen Steward will represent LEAF before the Supreme Court. The hearing will be available via webcast<\/a> on the Supreme Court\u2019s website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF is grateful to the members of the case committee that are guiding, informing, and supporting this intervention: Frances Chapman (Lakehead University), Elaine Craig (Dalhousie University), and Karen Segal (Allevato Quail & Roy). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media Contacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kat Owens 
Project Director, LEAF 
416-543-3509 
k.owens@leaf.ca<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelley Bryan 
Counsel to LEAF, PBP Lawyers<\/a>
647-490-4197 
kbryan@pbplawyers.com<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About\u202fthe Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)<\/strong>\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is a national not-for-profit that works to advance gender equality in Canada through litigation,\u202flaw reform,\u202fand public legal education.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 1985, LEAF has intervened in more than 100 cases that have helped shape the\u202fCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms<\/em>,\u202fresponded to\u202fviolence against women and gender diverse people,\u202fpushed\u202fback against\u202fdiscrimination in the workplace, allowed access to reproductive freedoms, and provided improved maternity benefits, spousal support, and the right to pay equity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF understands that women and gender diverse individuals in Canada experience discrimination in different\u202fways, and\u202fbuilds partnerships across communities to inform our understanding of how race, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, class, and other intersectional identities underlie legal structures that perpetuate inequality, discrimination, and harm.\u202f <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[],"tags":[547,99,256,425,100],"class_list":["post-21758","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","tag-a-s","tag-equality","tag-sexual-assault","tag-supreme-court-of-canada","tag-women"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLEAF to make arguments at upcoming Supreme Court hearing on use of survivors\u2019 private records in sexual assault trials - LEAF<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Respecting the equality rights of sexual assault survivors is an access to justice issue,\u00a0says the Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund.\" \/>\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\/leaf-to-make-arguments-at-upcoming-supreme-court-hearing-on-use-of-survivors-private-records-in-sexual-assault-trials\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"LEAF to make arguments at upcoming Supreme Court hearing on use of survivors\u2019 private records in sexual assault trials - 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