Help Kelly get to Ottawa to make history

On October 6th, I have a chance to see years of my dedication, tears, trauma, and hard work finally pay off.

I have devoted the last seven years of my life to advocating for sexual assault survivor rights, specifically the last two years to publication bans and the damage these bans cause. During the dates as mentioned above, I have an opportunity to witness my work and dedication gain national attention in a Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights meeting in Ottawa, where my publication ban case will be mentioned along with the struggles and successes other survivors and I have had in Canada’s System of Justice. I will be supporting a fellow survivor and co-writer/editor of multiple documents submitted to the federal government on the topic.

The hope is that this meeting with the Committee will turn into a Private Member’s Bill to demand changes to publication bans on sexual assault survivors at a federal level – which would essentially say publication bans can be placed on survivors so long as they have informed consent. It will mean that survivors of sexual assault have a right to their name and story without fear of hefty fines or jail time (and usually significantly more than their attacker gets). Currently, survivors with this ban on their name do not have this right. I have been fighting for this change, and the right to my name and story as a survivor of sexual violence for over half a decade. In June 2021 I won the right to my name and story, but countless survivors in Canada haven’t won, let alone know there is a ban on their name. I am doing this to make sure my daughter, her generation, and generations after hers never have to have this fight.

This isn’t just about survivors who have had their case proven in court. Few sexual assault cases result in a conviction, but publication bans remain in place for a survivor even when there is no finding of guilt. This is a burden, is re-traumatizing, and creates barriers for survivors in accessing accountability through the Canadian legal system. It also gives the impression that offenders and the accused are protected and actually serve to benefit from publication bans and the limits placed on survivors to pursue public forms of accountability outside of the legal system for the harm they have experienced.

We have a chance to have our voices heard at a federal level and raise a case for real policy change on how sexual assault survivors are treated in our legal system. It can potentially change Canadian laws on publication bans specific to sexual assault survivors. (CCC 486.4). All our hard work and research will come to light during this meeting. It is likely the only chance to argue for change to the Criminal Code of Canada.

Please help me get to Ottawa. Your donation will go towards my airfare, hotel, transportation, meals and incidentals during my trip. Any remaining funds at the end of the trip will be donated to the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, plus $100 from myself. I need to have everything booked by Sunday, October 2nd at latest.

Thank you,

Kelly