{"id":22483,"date":"2022-05-13T11:39:43","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T15:39:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/?post_type=news&p=22483"},"modified":"2022-05-16T10:24:53","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T14:24:53","slug":"supreme-court-clear-that-drunkenness-alone-is-not-a-defence-in-sexual-assault-cases","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/fr\/news\/supreme-court-clear-that-drunkenness-alone-is-not-a-defence-in-sexual-assault-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court clear that drunkenness alone is not a defence in sexual assault cases"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May 13, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>The Supreme Court of Canada has clearly stated that drunkenness without automatism cannot be used as a defence in sexual assault cases, says the Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the Court released its decisions in R. v. Sullivan <\/em>and R. v. Chan<\/em>, and R. v. Brown<\/em>. These cases <\/em>examined the defence of \u201cself-induced extreme intoxication\u201d under Canadian criminal law.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under s. 33.1 of the Criminal Code<\/em>, accused persons were not allowed to use this defence to avoid criminal responsibility for certain violent offences, including sexual assault. \u201cSelf-induced extreme intoxication\u201d is different from being very drunk, very high, or blacking out \u2013 it requires a person to be so intoxicated that their actions are not voluntary or something they can control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Court held that section 33.1 violated the constitutional rights of accused persons, and struck down the provision. The Court clearly stated, however, that this does not mean that drunkenness can be used as a defence to sexual assault charges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the Court explained: \u201cIt thus bears emphasizing that Mr. Brown was not simply drunk or high. To be plain: it is the law in Canada that intoxication short of automatism is not a defence to violent crimes of general intent in this country.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDrunkenness has never been, and is not now, a defence to sexual assault,\u201d says Kat Owens, Project Director at LEAF. \u201cWe are pleased to see the Supreme Court clearly and specifically spell that out.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF intervened in these cases to advocate for the equality rights of survivors of sexual and physical violence. Women and children face disproportionate levels of violence, including sexual violence. The Court agreed with LEAF that \u201cthese rights are intensely important and must be given full consideration under the Charter <\/em>analysis.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRegardless of today\u2019s ruling, we know that the criminal justice system too often fails and retraumatizes survivors of sexual violence,\u201d says Owens. \u201cWe need to improve existing responses to sexual violence, while exploring alternative responses and working to prevent gender-based violence.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF stresses that training for justice system participants must accurately reflect the meaning of this decision and its limited application. LEAF further calls on the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to provide funding for alternative justice responses to sexual violence, and to take steps to implement the Roadmap for a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Gender-Based Violence<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About LEAF<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is a national not-for-profit that works to advance the equality rights of women, girls, trans, and non-binary people in Canada through litigation,\u202flaw reform,\u202fand public legal education.\u202fSince 1985, LEAF has intervened in more than 100 cases that have helped shape the\u202fCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms<\/em>. To find out more, visit www.leaf.ca<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF is grateful to Megan Stephens and Lara Kinkartz for their pro bono <\/em>representation. LEAF is also grateful to the members of the case committee that helped to shape this intervention: Karen Bellehumeur, Rosemary Cairns Way, Frances Chapman, Alanna Courtright, Daphne Gilbert, Farrah Khan, and Marie Manikis. <\/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

Lara Kinkartz 
Co-counsel for LEAF
lkinkartz@weirfoulds.com<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[],"tags":[448,518,434,554],"class_list":["post-22483","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","tag-equality-rights","tag-extreme-intoxication","tag-gender-based-violence","tag-supreme-court"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSupreme Court clear that drunkenness alone is not a defence in sexual assault cases - LEAF<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Supreme Court of Canada has clearly stated that drunkenness alone cannot be used as a defence in sexual assault cases, says LEAF.\" \/>\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\/supreme-court-clear-that-drunkenness-alone-is-not-a-defence-in-sexual-assault-cases\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Supreme Court clear that drunkenness alone is not a defence in sexual assault cases - 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