{"id":27381,"date":"2026-05-15T10:48:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T14:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/?post_type=news&p=27381"},"modified":"2026-05-15T10:48:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T14:48:36","slug":"supreme-court-delivers-a-landmark-victory-for-survivors-of-intimate-partner-violence","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/fr\/news\/supreme-court-delivers-a-landmark-victory-for-survivors-of-intimate-partner-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court delivers a landmark victory for survivors of\u00a0intimate partner\u00a0violence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Toronto,\u00a0May 15, 2025<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0LEAF is\u00a0thrilled\u00a0by\u00a0the Supreme Court of Canada\u2019s\u00a0decision<\/a>\u00a0to create a new tort of\u00a0intimate partner violence.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are extremely pleased that the Supreme Court has recognized the unique harms and financial burdens faced by survivors of intimate partner violence,\u201d says Kat Owens, LEAF Legal Director. \u201cThe new tort of intimate partner violence says that yes, these harms are real, and yes, they merit compensation.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia <\/em>required <\/em>the Supreme Court to determine how survivors of intimate partner violence can seek financial compensation from their former partners for the harms that they experienced. Historically, survivors would have to try and combine separate individual torts, such as assault, battery, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. Ms. Ahluwalia asked the Court to create a new tort of family violence, to allow survivors to go to court and ask for compensation specifically for the pattern of violence they experienced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab\u00a0We know that survivors of intimate partner violence following this case will be feeling heartened by the Supreme Court’s decision,\u201d says Owens. \u201cFor far too many survivors, getting justice through the legal system is incredibly difficult, to the point that many won’t even try. This decision will help open the door for more survivors who want to seek redress through the courts.\u00a0\u00bb <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Supreme Court\u2019s majority decision demonstrates a feminist and intersectional understanding of intimate partner violence. It consistently recognizes intimate partner violence as directly related to interference with dignity, autonomy, and equality within an intimate partner relationship, and notes that efforts to combat it must \u201cbegin by recognizing that women are overwhelmingly those most often harmed by their partners.\u00a0\u00bb It goes further by stating that the experience of gendered violence can depend on the social location and identity of the survivor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The majority specifically cited LEAF\u2019s argument that access to justice matters when deciding whether to create a new tort. They agreed that recognizing a new tort of intimate partner violence aligns with the values underlying section 7 of the Charter<\/em> because intimate partner violence interferes with a person\u2019s liberty, physical, and psychological safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF was grateful to be represented pro bono<\/em> by co-counsel Pam Hrick (Lerners LLP), Maneesha Mehra (Mehra Sample LLP), and Surinder Multani (Niman Mamo LLP) in this case.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAF\u2019s interventions are guided, informed, and supported by a case committee with expertise in the relevant issues. We are grateful to this intervention\u2019s case committee members (in alphabetical order): Natasha Bakht, Coline Bellefleur, Erika Chamberlain, Frances Chapman, and Sheila Gibb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For media inquiries, please contact media@leaf.ca<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Women\u2019s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is a national not-for-profit and charity 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 145 cases that have helped shape the\u202fCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms<\/em>. To find out more, visit\u202f www.leaf.ca<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27381","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSupreme Court delivers a landmark victory for survivors of\u00a0intimate partner\u00a0violence - LEAF<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"LEAF is\u00a0thrilled\u00a0by\u00a0the Supreme Court of Canada\u2019s\u00a0decision\u00a0to create a new tort of\u00a0intimate partner violence.\u00a0\" \/>\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-delivers-a-landmark-victory-for-survivors-of-intimate-partner-violence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Supreme Court delivers a landmark victory for survivors of\u00a0intimate partner\u00a0violence - 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