Media Advisory: Gender justice organizations to challenge harmful myths and stereotypes about family violence at Supreme Court of Canada

What: Rise Women’s Legal Centre and West Coast LEAF at Supreme Court of Canada to intervene in Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia, a case on family violence. 

When: February 11-12. Intervenor oral arguments will be heard on February 12.

Where: Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.Tune into the hearings via the SSC webcast page.

Ottawa, ON (unceded Anishinabe Algonquin Territory)—Rise Women’s Legal Centre (Rise) and West Coast LEAF are intervening at the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) in Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia. In this case, the SCC will be asked to recognize a new tort of family violence. Its decision will have a significant impact on the ability of survivors to access compensation for the harms they have experienced. Rise and West Coast LEAF will share their joint expertise to argue that, as part of efforts to strengthen legal protections against family violence, courts must reject discriminatory myths and stereotypes that cast doubt on survivors’ credibility.

Myths and stereotypes—such as the myth that women lie about family violence to gain the upper hand in their family law cases—are a widespread problem in the legal system and played a key role in this case. For example, Mr. Ahluwalia argued that Ms. Ahluwalia was lying because she did not leave him as soon as the abuse began. The appeal court also echoed discriminatory beliefs when it suggested that the new tort would encourage a flood of false claims. Rise and West Coast LEAF have long challenged myths and stereotypes in family law in BC and will be amplifying survivor’s voices and experiences before the SCC.

Read Rise and West Coast LEAF’s factum. Learn more about Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia. 

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Media contacts:

Rosanna Adams, Staff Lawyer, Rise Women’s Legal Centre
media@womenslegalcentre.ca

Kate Feeney, Director of Litigation, West Coast LEAF
media@westcoastleaf.org
604-684-8772, ext. 111

About West Coast LEAF

West Coast LEAF is a non-profit organization formed in 1985, the year the equality guarantees of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into force. West Coast LEAF’s mandate is to use the law to create an equal and just society for all women and people who experience gender-based discrimination in BC. In collaboration with community, we use litigation, law reform, and public legal education to make change. For more information, visit westcoastleaf.org.

About Rise Women’s Legal Centre

Rise Women’s Legal Centre (Rise) is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia who are economically disadvantaged, with a focus on clients experiencing gender-based violence. Rise envisions a future where all self-identified women and gender diverse people in BC have access to a safe, just and equal legal system. For more information, visit: womenslegalcentre.ca

(Rise is not an acronym)