Womens crissi centre

If assault survivors can’t go to the law for justice, where are they going to get it?

A question the Timmins and Area Women in Crisis Centre’s Becky Mason is asking about the Jian Ghomeshi trial.  Mason says the whole trial is making a mockery of the justice system.

“Often time the justice system wants to set an example. They’re always on top of ‘Lets prove she’s lying’ and if can find any small thing proving she is- then let’s run with that”

She says sexual assault is a vastly under-reported crime not only in Canada but in Timmins as well.  Mason says survivors of assault will see respectable people being treated poorly so why would they report their case.

“We live in a society that blames the victim. For us at the crisis centre, it’s a lot of trying to get women to understand there is nothing they could’ve done to deserve this. Often that’s what they need to hear because it’s contradicting the messages they’re getting from society in general.”

Ghomeshi’s assault trial is wrapping up today but Mason says the first thing the defence did was attack the three accusers credibility.  She says the law sometimes has to believe
the women who are brave enough to report an assault.