PCs introduce two bills giving greater protection to survivors of sexual assault
HALIFAX, NS – Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie wants to strengthen the province’s sexual assault laws.
Today, as a first step, the PC Caucus introduced two bills. One ensures victims’ right to be treated with respect when giving evidence about sexual violence. The other creates safer college and university campuses.
“Sexual assaults are serious crimes that have a devastating effect on survivors,” says Baillie. “When someone is brave enough to come forward and report a sexual assault, they must have confidence that the justice system will treat them with compassion and respect. They also deserve to leave with the sense that justice has been done.”
Baillie says the number one complaint he hears when speaking with students at colleges and universities is about sexual violence on campus. He says that we must do more to make sure our campus environments are safer.
Last month, Mitchell Leeander Goodwin was sentenced to 90 days in jail to be served on weekends for sexual assault and uttering threats after having non-consensual sex with a woman in 2012. In another case, Joshua-Douglas Everette Jackson was acquitted of sexually assaulting a fellow student after the judge ruled the man had mistakenly believed he had the woman’s consent to initiate intercourse in 2014.
“We want to see action on tightening these sexual violence laws,” says Baillie. “This is an extremely important issue.”
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Click here to read An Act to Address Sexual Violence at Colleges and Universities.
Click here to read the Victims’ Rights and Services Act.