Toronto DUers: Appalling rape/immigration debacle.

[GirlinContempt]

I know it's a little on the short notice side, but if you're in Toronto, PLEASE think about attending this!!!!!

URGENT: NO JUSTICE FOR TEENAGE VICTIM OF RAPE IN CANADA
SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT TO BE DEPORTED

Press Conference
Federal Court Appearance
Tomorrow, Tuesday July 27th, 2004
10 am
330 University Ave (just north of Queen)

** All are welcome - women are especially encouraged to come **

A 19 year old teenage girl was sexually assaulted in Toronto in February
2004. After building up the courage, and with the assistance of youth
trauma counselors, she reported the rape to Toronto Police. The accused
was charged with sexual assault and is in custody. However, no date has
been set for his trial.

The young teenager who is the complainant and who is in Canada without
immigration status, was also arrested and detained by Immigration
authorities and is now scheduled for removal to her native Grenada.

The young girl will be removed before she has a chance to testify and give
evidence at the trial of the accused. Criminal lawyer Mary Misner, says
that the sexual assault case is “unlikely to be successfully prosecuted
without the complainant”.

On July 28th, 2004, the accused is to appear in criminal court to set a
date for his trial, ironically, the same day the complainant is to be
deported from Canada

Sima Zerehi, member of the group No One is Illegal is shocked that
Immigration is still stubbornly deporting the young girl and refusing to
defer her removal until she testifies at the trial of the man she claims
raped her and who has threatened to harm her upon his return to the same
country of Grenada. “The message sent to women without status in Canada by
this case is: if you are a victim of crime you can expect to be victimized
a second time for reporting it to the police and you can also expect the
accused to get off ‘scott-free’ for raping you”. It is a very dangerous
message.”

Social worker Mary Ann Di Paolo who has over 30 years experience
counseling youth is shocked and distressed; “As Canadians we should be
appalled by this case, the message to rapists is: it’s okay to rape women
without status because they’ll be deported before they can testify against
the rapist.“

Federal Court deportation hearing will be held on Tuesday July 27th, 2004
at 11:00

Support NJ! Please come out tomorrow.

Press Conference
Federal Court Appearance
Tomorrow, Tuesday July 27th, 2004
10 am
330 University Ave (just north of Queen)

Speakers will include:

Amina Sherazee, Lawyer for N.J.
Sima Zerehi, member of organization “No One Is Illegal”
Mary Ann Di Paolo, West End Sexual Abuse Treatment
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre (tentative)

Also please take a moment to call or fax Judy Sgro, Minister of
Immigration, and demand that she defer N.J.’s removal so she can testify
in court and get a proper risk assessment!

Constituency Office:
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
2201 Finch Ave W, Suite 25
Toronto, ON M9M 2Y9

Parliament Hill Office:
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Rm 239, Confederation Bldg
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

[CHIMO]

1. Sex assault victim can stay in Canada

TORONTO - A 19-year-old Grenadian woman who says she was the victim of a sexual assault in Toronto will be allowed to stay in Canada under a protection order.

In surprise decision Tuesday morning, an immigration panel went further than granting the woman an extension of her deportation order so she could testify against her accused attacker.

Instead, she has been granted protection status, meaning she can't be removed from the country and will be allowed to go ahead and apply for residency and citizenship.

The woman's lawyer said the alleged attacker would walk free had the woman been sent out of Canada before the case were to be heard.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/07/27/grenada_assault040727.html

[GirlinContempt]

2. Wow, awesome, thanks for posting that

I was looking for stories this morning but everything I found was old.

[paxamillion]

3. Thrilled!!

I'm thrilled that the government has chosen to protect this woman. Sexual assault is enough of a trauma. Compounding it with a deporation to an unsafe destination would be horrific.

:bounce:

[Canuckistanian]

4. Still, this is (yet another) black eye for Toronto cops

Maybe Dudley George has a point.