In our work at the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter we have rarely encountered a case of a man admitting he is guilty. In the rare cases men do, it is usually a strategic move after realizing Crown counsel holds unquestionable evidence (often a video record of the rape made by the rapist himself no less).
The Crown’s decision is a betrayal of the young woman who was the victim of the rape and sends a clear message to all women not to seek justice through the criminal justice system.
Many women testified in Supreme Court Case on the 7 counts of sexual assault laid on male medical practitioner Dr. Rang Pham, an acupuncturist in his late 60s.
We are calling on the Vancouver Police Department to conduct a thorough investigation of these and other sexist attacks, and to ensure that the men who are committing violence against women will be held accountable by the criminal justice system.
"We wanted to take back a space off limits to women...instead of telling women they should stay away in order to be safe, we wanted women to be here and be safe.”
The women were conducting Take Back the Night, a direct action to take over city streets calling for freedom from rape, freedom from prostitution and livable welfare on demand.
Women are going to go out and party. Some of us are going to use GHB willingly. But what we came to understand by telling each other about GHB is that too often the circumstances are quickly out of our control, even when we are with friends
