A report from Canada’s victims of crime advocate says survivors of sexual violence are being systemically betrayed by the criminal justice system as allegations are often disbelieved and cases are regularly delayed or dropped.

These are just some of the findings from a nearly 300-page report entitled Rethinking Justice for Survivors of Sexual Violence: A Systemic Investigation.

The report by Benjamin Roebuck, the federal ombudsperson for victims of crime, is the result of more than 3,000 interviews, surveys and case reviews conducted since March 2024.

It examines how victims of sexual violence are treated throughout the justice system; whether their allegations are believed; what resources they have access to; and how their membership in a vulnerable group or geographic location impacts

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