A two-day hearing that has significant implications for how courts handle sexual assault cases is underway at the Supreme Court of Canada. We are intervening alongside Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre, formerly WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, in the two appeals being heard together—R. v J.J. and A.S. v Her Majesty the Queen et al. These cases are about … Read more We’re at the Supreme Court of Canada today to fight for protections for sexual assault survivors in criminal trials
VANCOUVER, UNCEDED COAST SALISH HOMELANDS – A two-day hearing that has significant implications for how courts handle sexual assault cases commences today at the Supreme Court of Canada. West Coast LEAF and Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre (formerly WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre) (“the Coalition”) are intervening together in two appeals being heard at the same … Read more Release: Supreme Court set to review protections for sexual assault survivors in criminal trials
West Coast LEAF and Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre, formerly WAVAW, have been granted leave to jointly intervene in two appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada that address the constitutionality of new protections for complainants in sexual assault trials. The cases, R. v J.J. (an appeal and cross-appeal arising out of BC), and A.S. v Her Majesty the Queen (an … Read more Defending the privacy and equality rights of sexual assault survivors
Case summary This case is about whether the Criminal Code recognizes that a person can consent to sex on the condition that their partner wears a condom. When a person insists on condom use, does their partner commit sexual assault if they sabotage their condom, remove their condom during sex without their partner’s knowledge (a practice often … Read more R. v Kirkpatrick [2021]
VANCOUVER, UNCEDED COAST SALISH HOMELANDS – With BC Budget 2021 released yesterday, the province has missed an historic opportunity to leverage the federal commitments to gender equity and rebuild crumbling provincial systems that have been gutted or allowed to languish over many decades. “Today’s budget announcement is disappointing. We were hoping to see the provincial … Read more Release: BC Budget 2021: A missed opportunity to foster gender-based equity, leverage federal budget commitments
In March 2021, the Centre for Gender & Sexual Health Equity and West Coast LEAF made a submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, urging against more punitive restrictions of online sex work and pornography, and calling for policy informed by meaningful consultation with sex workers. The harms of … Read more Submissions on the impacts of criminalization and punitive regulation of online sex work
This case is about the constitutionality of certain rules of evidence in criminal sexual assault cases…
Read our 2020 Annual Report to learn about West Coast LEAF’s work for gender justice in the 2019/2020 fiscal year. Publications
The COVID-19 BC Gender Equality Report Card assesses the BC government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of impacts for gender…
Dating back to 2002, LEAFlets have been an accessible, seasonal method for West Coast LEAF to communicate our work at-a-glance. These LEAFlets hold a treasure trove of information on our work spanning decades, including summaries of cases, spotlights of community partners, interviews with staff, supporters, and volunteers, and much more. While LEAFlets are no longer … Read more LEAFlet newletters
