- Target:
- Canadian Judicial Council
- Region:
- Canada
- Website:
- www.facebook.com
Manitoba Judge Robert Dewar sentenced previously convicted sex offender Kenneth Rhodes to a two-year conditional sentence last week for sexually assaulting a woman in Thompson, Manitoba.
Judge Dewar's 'reasoning' for rejecting the Crown's recommendation of a three-year sentence was that the victim was wearing a tube top and high heels and 'wanted to party'. He called Rhodes a 'clumsy Don Juan' and said that 'sex was in the air' the night that Rhodes raped a woman by the side of the road after she had clearly said NO.
It’s estimated less than 10% all sex assaults are reported to police. Judge Dewar's unacceptable behaviour does a disservice to all sexual assault victims, and reinforces the idea that rape does not carry consequences.
It's 2011 and NO MEANS NO. Let's call on the Canadian Judicial Council to have Judge Dewar removed from the bench, and to have his regressive decision overturned.
News story:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/rape-victim-inviting-so-no-jail--rape-victim-inviting-so-no-jail-116801578.html
Commentary:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/prof-what-is-the-signal-were-sending-here-116801678.html
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/24/no-jail-for-rapist-because-victim-wanted-to-party/
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/02/24/joe-oconnor-do-a-tube-top-and-high-heels-say-go-ahead-rape-me/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/christie-blatchford/manitoba-judge-is-dead-wrong-in-rape-case/article1920030/
We, the undersigned, call on the Canadian Judicial Council to have Judge Robert Dewar removed from the bench.
It is unacceptable in this day and age for him to blame rape victims for the actions of their attackers. The victim's dress or behaviour is no excuse for rape. Judge Dewar has failed to uphold the law in this case, and as such, is neglecting his duty to protect Manitoban women and girls.
His failure to apply the law by making disparaging comments about the victim, thus excusing Kenneth Rhodes' behaviour- and by not issuing an appropriate jail sentence for a serious criminal offence also sets a dangerous precedent for all sexual assault victims in this country.
Canadian Judicial Council
info@cjc-ccm.gc.ca
The Judge Robert Dewar- No Means No! petition to Canadian Judicial Council was written by Christina Shah and is in the category Law & Order at GoPetition.