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Abstract
In spite of their prevalence, sexual assaults are much less frequently reported than other violent crimes. Only 5% of sexual assault victimsfile a complaint. This can be explained, among other things, by the fear of not being believed, since many myths or stereotypes about victims of sexual assault are still alive today. Yet the 1983 reform of Canadian criminal law was aimed precisely at debunking these stereotypes by eradicating the special rules of evidence that undermined women's credibility. It seems, however, that myths and stereotypescontinue to taint judges’ appreciation. Thispaper analyses the cases of Canadian Courts of Appeal where it is alleged that the trial judge was biased because of a stereotype. The analysis is based on each of the special rules of evidence that the 1983 reform sought to eliminate: the doctrine of corroboration, the expectation of resistance, the doctrine of early complaint and the evidence of the complainant’s past sexual history. The paper concludes that real progress has been made, but that further steps will be needed for these objectives to be met.References
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