The legal system must show more compassion to survivors of sexual abuse

Support, validation and agency

In May 2018, several men drugged, kidnapped and assaulted a woman named Carrie Low in a trailer outside Halifax. Low reported the incident to police and a specialized nurse completed a sexual assault exam. The police only collected her clothes as evidence 10 days after the assault. They never went to the crime scene and were not responsive when Low pressed for updates. She has been fighting for justice ever since.

Low’s experience highlights the challenges faced by survivors of gender-based violence when seeking justice. Survivors often feel retraumatized in criminal proceedings. They feel unsupported, disrespected and doubted by justice personnel. They can feel pressured in family court. To make matters worse, they often don’t feel safer after turning to the legal system for help.

These issues are exacerbated for Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, as well as people who are newcomers to Canada.

Even professionals working in the system have concerns about these systemic issues.

April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Jurisdictions across Canada have implemented programs and policies to address these problems. Governments are dedicating significant resources to implement recommendations from Nova Scotia’s Mass Casualty Commission, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and the Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

These initiatives acknowledge gender-based violence as an endemic human rights violation and a significant public health and safety concern, and they do address some systemic shortcomings.

However, our work in the field led us to wonder whether these measures would help survivors find justice. What does justice mean to survivors? And what changes would provide them with a better sense of justice? Our research project explored these questions.

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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Addressed:

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Targets Identified:

• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

Indicators:

• Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months
• Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms

Explanation:

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). The article discusses the challenges faced by survivors of gender-based violence when seeking justice, highlighting the need for support, validation, and agency in the justice system.

Based on the content of the article, the specific targets that can be identified are Target 5.2 (Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres) and Target 16.3 (Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all).

The article mentions indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. Indicator 5.2.1 (Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months) can be used to measure progress towards Target 5.2. Indicator 16.3.1 (Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms) can be used to measure progress towards Target 16.3.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: theconversation.com

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