New sex assault program aimed at justice workers
Citing the need for “increased confidence” in the justice system, the provincial government is partnering with the Law Society of Saskatchewan to develop a sexual assault education program for justice professionals.
The program, announced Wednesday, will be made available to judges, lawyers and other justice system professionals. The goal of the program is to ensure “best practices are used when working with sexual violence complainants,” the province said.
“We have heard consistent feedback that survivors of sexual violence feel the need for increased confidence in the justice system,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said in a statement.
“One of our primary focuses of this program is to ensure the Saskatchewan legal community is informed about legal protections afforded to complainants in a criminal prosecution.”
The program — a partnership between the provincial law society, the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General — is set to feature multiple components, including Criminal Code education on sexual offences, available supports for survivors of sexual violence, courtroom tools such as witness screens, as well as trauma and its effects.
“Though educational opportunities exist for members of the legal community and justice system stakeholders around sexual assault and gender-based violence, we feel this is an area that could benefit from consistent, comprehensive annual programming,” Morgan said.
According to the province, the program will be developed in collaboration with the legal community, the courts and victims services.