‘You’re not alone’: Local advocates react to Hockey Canada sexual assault trial

Reactions are pouring in as the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is set to come to a conclusion in London on Thursday morning.

While Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia’s verdict represents an end to the court proceedings, the battle to support survivors of sexual violence rages on.

According to Lyndsey Butcher, director of care at the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, many people accessing their programs report feeling fear when it comes to taking steps towards care and reporting their situation to police. Butcher added that those feelings are in part due to how survivors see the London trial playing out in the public eye.

“It really impacts survivors and the way that they look at what justice could mean for them, what access do they really have to justice, and what they would have to endure,” Butcher said.

Cindy McMann, a public educator with Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis, echoed those sentiments.

“The impacts on survivors is huge, and the effect will be really chilling,” she said. “It’s not very likely that somebody who experiences sexual violence will come forward and talk about it, let alone report it to police. Nobody wants to have to sit in a courtroom and be grilled for nine days.”

Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis received 2,761 call on its crisis line last year, supporting people experiencing sexual violence with wraparound care. It also supported 107 people between its two counsellors at the office on Elizabeth Street in Guelph.

Butcher explained that less than six per cent of sexual assault cases are reported to police. From there, the rate at which a perpetrator is charged is even lower, and the cases that make their way through the criminal justice process are rarer still.

“This takes years often times between when the incident happens, the police report, the investigation, the trial, and the verdict,” she said. “It really takes a lot to get through it, and we’re here to support people through that process, but the criminal justice system is not designed with survivors’ needs in mind.”

In the case of the London trial, roughly seven years have passed between the incident taking place and the conclusion of the criminal trial.

McMann noted that, going forward, an emphasis needs to be put on the survivors of sexual violence, and that the systems in which they choose to reach out for justice or support should put their needs first without re-victimizing or exploiting their trauma.

“It can often feel like you are alone when you’ve experienced sexual violence,” she said. “You’re not alone. There are resources out there. There are people who can support you and help you. I think if people are struggling, it’s good to reach out, if that’s something that’s accessible and feels like it can be helpful for them.”

How to receive support

If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual violence, call the Sexual Assault Support Centre at (519)741-8633 or Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis at (519)836-1110.

Services at both centres are free of charge and completely confidential, relieving the financial burden for victims of sexual violence.

If you wish to speak face-to-face with a support specialist or counsellor, visit them in person. The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region is located at 300-151 Frederick St. in Kitchener, and the Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis building is located at 38 Elizabeth St. in Guelph.