A non-profit law society is offering free legal advice to anyone in B.C. who has experienced sexual assault.
On Tuesday, the Community Legal Assistance Society launched its Stand Informed program, offering three hours of free, confidential legal advice to victims of sexual assault.
The free legal advice is available to anyone regardless of age, gender and income level and whether or not the sexual assault was reported to police. It is also available to those who are uncertain if what they experienced was sexual assault.
Jennifer Khor, project manager and supervising lawyer with the Community Legal Assistance Society, said the program will fill a gaping hole in legal assistance available to B.C. residents.
“Until now, anyone who experienced sexual assault had nowhere to turn for accessible legal advice,” said Khor. “Our goal with this service is to inform people of their legal options and empower them to do what they feel is best in their situation.”
There is no time limit for filing a criminal or civil complaint of sexual assault, she stressed.
The Criminal Code of Canada defines sexual assault as intentional sexual touching without consent. Consent must be expressed freely and be ongoing and can be revoked at any time.
In B.C., 37 per cent of women over the age of 15 have experienced sexual assault and less than nine percent seek support from victim services, said Khor.
Studies by Statistics Canada show that women — especially young women, Indigenous women, and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and two-spirit disproportionately experience sexual assault.
In 2021, there were more than 34,200 reports of sexual assault in Canada.
Two years prior, it was estimated that only six per cent of sexual assaults experienced by Canadians 15 and older had been reported to police.
The Community Legal Assistance Society is contracted by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to provide the free legal advice program, which also receives funding from the federal Department of Justice.
Those who want to access the free legal advice service can reach out by phone or email and will be contacted by staff for a short intake, said Khor.
“We need some basic information about contacts and a little bit of information on the situation so we know it’s sexual assault. But we don’t ask for a lot of details on intake if the person isn’t comfortable speaking about it,” said Khor.
Staff will find out if the client is more comfortable speaking with a man or woman lawyer and if the client prefers to connect in person, on the phone or on a video conference call, she said.
“We have two staff lawyers and lawyers in different parts of the province, so if a client wants to meet in person, we will see if there’s a lawyer available in the area,” said Khor.
If lawyers think the client would benefit from more time, they can ask the society for an extension, she said.
“We really are hoping that people will apply so they can get more information on their legal rights and legal options and also connect with other services. So both the staff and the lawyer might discuss with the client whether there are other supports they are interested in and our staff can help provide that.”
On Vancouver Island, the program has participating lawyers in Victoria, Courtenay, Comox, the Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Tofino and Qualicum. Some are willing to travel to meet a client, Khor said. “We are trying to do what is easiest for the client.”
Some people might choose to do a third-party report, which means that a support organiza tion can assist them in making a report to police.
The complaint remains anonymous, but police have a report about the perpetrator, explained Khor, so if something happens again with that perpetrator, police might be able to show a pattern and launch an investigation.
“That is sometimes an option if people don’t want to go forward themselves at that time yet,” said Khor.
There are no restrictions on who can reach out for help. Everything is confidential. If people such as migrant workers or international students are concerned about risking their immigration status, a lawyer might be able to provide advice and referrals to other legal supports as well, said Khor.
Any B.C. resident who experiences sexual assault in the province can receive free legal advice by calling 604-673-3143 or by sending an email to [email protected]
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