REGINA — All women subjected to violence should have equal protection in the justice system, Canada’s ministers responsible for the status of women have decided.
Ministers representing the federal, provincial and territorial governments met for two days in Regina earlier this month, and endorsed the Regina Declaration on the Rights of Women Subjected to Violence.
“Everyone involved in the justice system has an obligation to ensure that societal prejudices and stereotypes concerning women do not interfere with a woman’s right to equality before and under the law,” said conference co-chair Louise Simard of Saskatchewan.
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Sheila Finestone, federal secretary of state for the status of women, said the justice system needs to do more to protect women, not treat them as victims.
“When a woman comes in contact with the justice system it is usually because she has been the victim of violence,” Finestone said. “Many times her experience in court can be extremely traumatic, especially in a sexual assault case where she may have to face her aggressor.”
She said justice officials need to take women’s rights and safety into consideration “not as a special interest group but as 52 percent of the Canadian population.”
The ministers also discussed issues like balancing work and family responsibilities, economic equality for women, gender socialization and tax treatment of child support.
