The majority of victims of sexual assault know their attackers and refuse to report them, consumed by fear of disbelief and shame. In Canada, only 6% of sexual assaults are reported to the police.
When survivors speak out publicly, like Catherine Fournier, former PQ member of Marie-Victorin and Mayor of Longueuil, in the documentary Witness CF, they promote freedom of expression for certain victims lurking in the shadows. This phenomenon has also been observed in the #MeToo movement. Unfortunately, the effect of this type of disclosure on the number of denunciations is always temporary.
- To watch the documentary witness CF Click True Here.
Why so few denunciations? The factors are many: fear of not being believed, shame in the eyes of others, fear of the legal system, lack of support from those around you, damage to self-image, impunity, and the taunting judgments of certain attackers.
rape culture
Let’s face it: we live in a society that trivializes sexual assault. Do you think I’m exaggerating? Do you think men can’t control their sexual urges? Do you think victims are partly to blame for their victimization? Have you ever made sexist comments? Do you think most denunciations are lies? So many questions underlying the trivialization of sexual assault.
- Listen to Catherine Fournier’s interview on Yasmine Abdelfadel’s show via QUB radio :
And let’s not forget about pornography in all this mess. Films in which sexual assaults are played down in abundance, including those involving minors. “She says NO, but it’s a YES”. A total misunderstanding of consent that is even worse in marital relationships.
Cultural change and parent education remain the cornerstones of a more peaceful society. But, as the sociologist Edgar Morin so aptly put it: “The hardest thing is not to change course, not to change politics, it is to change the mentality, that is, the structure of thoughts.”
mild sentences
Sentencing in our justice system is complex. The judge has to consider several elements and sometimes his hands are tied when the prosecutor reaches an agreement with the defense attorney. I also talked about this in my April 12 column.
But in addition to sweet sentences, in my opinion, the trivialization of sexual assault also colors legal decisions, since no one is free from prejudices and clichés. For example, in December 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada ordered a new trial (thank God!) in a sordid sexual assault case involving a 7-year-old girl. The trial judge acquitted the attacker based on stereotypes. He then claimed the girl had a “solid and normal” relationship with her grandfather, casting doubt on the alleged sexual assault.
It’s okay to ask victims to be denounced, but the verdicts should at least follow!
