Recourse to the courts should be less traumatic in the short term for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, under Bill 92 tabled Wednesday by the Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette.
Bill 92 aims to create specialized courts intended to create, at all stages of the process, a more welcoming environment for complainants, who too often hesitate to take legal action, convinced that their attacker will get away with it unscathed or unharmed. that the process will be even more traumatic than the crime suffered.
Minister Jolin-Barrette has therefore kept his word, by respecting his commitment to legislate this fall to create a specialized tribunal, an initiative aimed at restoring victims’ confidence in the justice system.
By tabling his bill, the minister said he wanted to proceed quickly with its adoption.
The report of a working group created by the minister recently recommended proceeding in stages to implement its reform, by focusing first on pilot projects to test the changes envisaged, before creating a permanent specialized tribunal.
The task force insisted on the importance of properly preparing the complainant for what awaits her in court. At the courthouse, for example, there could be separate waiting rooms for complainants and accused, to avoid any contact between them. The group also considered it relevant to ensure “continuous training” for all stakeholders, including prosecutors and judges, and to aim for the same quality of services in all judicial districts.
Remember that previously, last December, a group of experts produced a voluminous report on the means to be used to counter the reluctance of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence to file a complaint. Entitled “Rebuilding Confidence”, the main recommendation emanating from the report was precisely the creation of a specialized tribunal.
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