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From: dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.legal
Subject: Re: Rape in  Ontario
Message-ID: <2865@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Dec-83 23:00:47 EST
Article-I.D.: utcsrgv.2865
Posted: Thu Dec  1 23:00:47 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Dec-83 01:46:43 EST
References: <529@dciem.UUCP>
Organization: The Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto
Lines: 23

>>>From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
>>>I don't think the facts of this case matter (except to the people
>>>directly concerned). What matters is that the woman is perceived
>>>as a martyr to unfeeling justice and incompetent police, and therefore
>>>other women might well avoid reporting rape.

I agree. But it is also possible (and this was the judge's concern) that
rapists and other criminals may perceive certain advantages in threatening
their criminals in order to have charges withdrawn.

The issue is not an easy one to deal with. According to this afternoon's
Toronto Star, the Ontario legislature will probably hold an emergency
debate on the matter, although the Attorney-General has continued to
point out that the government has no jurisdiction in the case anyway.
(The woman involved has not appealed the sentence of one week for
contempt of court.)


Dave Sherman
The Law Society of Upper Canada
Toronto
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