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SUPREME COURT
OF CANADA

JUDGMENT IN APPEAL - OTTAWA, 30/01/04.

THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA HAS TODAY DEPOSITED WITH THE REGISTRAR JUDGMENT IN THE FOLLOWING APPEAL.

COMMENT: comments@scc-csc.gc.ca

(Reasons for judgment will be available shortly at: / Motifs du jugement disponible sous peu :
http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca )

29113 Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law v. Attorney General in Right of Canada and Focus on the Family (Canada) Association, Canada Family Action Coalition, the Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada and Real Women of Canada, together forming the Coalition for Family Autonomy, Canadian Teachers' Federation, Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies, Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, on its own behalf and on behalf of Conseil canadien des organismes provinciaux de défense des droits des enfants et des jeunes and Child Welfare League of Canada (Crim.) (Ont.) 2004 SCC 4 / 2004 CSC 4

Coram: McLachlin C.J. and Gonthier, Iacobucci, Major, Bastarache, Binnie, Arbour, LeBel
and Deschamps JJ.

The appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Number C34749, dated January 15, 2002, heard on June 6, 2003 is dismissed with the parties bearing their own costs throughout, Binnie J. dissenting in part, Arbour and Deschamps JJ. dissenting.

The constitutional questions are answered as follows:

1. Does s. 43 of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, infringe the rights of children under s. 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Answer: No. Arbour J. would answer yes. Deschamps J. would answer that it is unnecessary to decide this question.

2. If so, is the infringement a reasonable limit prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society within the meaning of s. 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Answer: It is unnecessary to decide this question. Arbour J. would answer no.

3. Does s. 43 of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, infringe the rights of children under s. 12 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Answer: No. Arbour and Deschamps JJ. would answer that it is unnecessary to decide this question.

4. If so, is the infringement a reasonable limit prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society within the meaning of s. 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Answer: It is unnecessary to decide this question.

5. Does s. 43 of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, infringe the rights of children under s. 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Answer: No. Binnie and Deschamps JJ. would answer yes. Arbour J. would answer that it is unnecessary to decide this question.

6. If so, is the infringement a reasonable limit prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society within the meaning of s. 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Answer: It is unnecessary to decide this question. Binnie J. would answer yes in relation to parents and persons standing in the place of a parent, but no in relation to teachers. Deschamps J. would answer no.

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COUR SUPRŠME
DU CANADA

JUGEMENT SUR APPEL- OTTAWA, 30/01/04.

LA COUR SUPRŠME DU CANADA A D‰POS‰ AUJOURD'HUI AUPRˆS DE LA REGISTRAIRE LE JUGEMENT DANS L'APPEL SUIVANT.
SOURCE: COUR SUPRŠME DU CANADA (613) 995-4330

COMMENTAIRES: comments@scc-csc.gc.ca

L'appel interjeté contre l'arrt de la Cour d'appel de l'Ontario, numéro C34749, en date du 15 janvier 2002, entendu le 6 juin 2003, est rejet et chacune des parties supportera ses propres dépens dans toutes les cours. Le juge Binnie est dissident en partie. Les juges Arbour et Deschamps sont dissidentes. Les questions constitutionnelles reçoivent les réponses suivantes :

1. L'article 43 du Code criminel, L.R.C. 1985, ch. C-46, porte-t-il atteinte aux droits que l'art. 7 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés garantit aux enfants?

Réponse : Non. La juge Arbour répondrait oui. La juge Deschamps estime qu'il n'est pas nécessaire de répondre cette question.

2. Dans l'affirmative, s'agit-il d'une atteinte porte par une règle de droit dans des limites raisonnables et dont la justification peut se démontrer dans une société libre et démocratique, au sens de l'article premier de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés?
Réponse : Il n'est pas nécessaire de répondre cet te question. La juge Arbour répondrait non.

3. L'article 43 du Code criminel, L.R.C. 1985, ch. C-46, porte-t-il atteinte aux droits que l'art. 12 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés garantit aux enfants?

Réponse : Non. Les juges Arbour et Deschamps estiment qu'il n'est pas nécessaire de répondre cette question.

4. Dans l'affirmative, s'agit-il d'une atteinte porte par une règle de droit dans des limites raisonnables et dont la justification peut se démontrer dans une société libre et démocratique, au sens de l'article premier de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés?

Réponse : Il n'est pas nécessaire de répondre cette question.

5. L'article 43 du Code criminel, L.R.C. 1985, ch. C-46, porte-t-il atteinte aux droits que le par. 15(1) de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés garantit aux enfants?

Réponse : Non. Les juges Binnie et Deschamps répondraient oui. La juge Arbour estime qu'il n'est pas nécessaire de répondre cette question.

6. Dans l'affirmative, s'agit-il d'une atteinte porte par une règle de droit dans des limites raisonnables et dont la justification peut se démontrer dans une société libre et démocratique, au sens de l'article premier de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés?
Réponse : Il n'est pas nécessaire de répondre cette question. Le juge Binnie répondrait oui en ce qui concerne les pres et mres, ou toute personne qui les remplace, et non en ce qui concerne les instituteurs. La juge Deschamps répondrait non.

The decision itself is available online at: http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca.

BBC, UK TV Programme - 1997

The sexual abuse by women of children and teenagers

A surprising 86% of survivors of sexual abuse were not believed when they said the abuser was a woman.

Many myths were exposed, such as the one that women only sexually abused when coerced by men - they in fact played the lead part. Also the myth that women are incapable of cruelty - what was shown was beyond belief.

Women commit 25% of all child sexual abuse

250,000 children in UK have been sexually abused by women

Women in our society have been portrayed as victims, but somewhere within their victimisation they have learned that to abuse children gave them a sense of power, control, agency, and therefore they use the abuse of children to gain those things.

Jacqui Saradjiam: (clinical psychologist)
I think people find it so difficult to see that women sexually abuse children because the whole view of women is of nurturers, carers, protectors - people who do anything to look after children - and they see the women as victims rather than enemies or perpetrators of any abuse.

Michelle Elliott: (Director - children's charity Kidscape)
I think the issue strikes at the core of what we perceive ourselves as women to be. I think that it's easier to think that it's men - men the enemy, somehow - but it can't be women - it's one thing women can't do. Women can be equal, we can be free, we can be in charge of companies, but we can't sexually abuse children - That's a load of rubbish. More ..