Sexual Assault Defined by the Criminal Code and Preparing a Defence

The Criminal Code states that consent is not given when someone:

• Does or says something that indicates they are not consenting to sexual activity
• Does or says something to indicate they do not want to continue in activity that has already begun
• Is not capable of providing consent because they are unconscious or extremely drunk or high on drugs and are not capable of consenting
• Submits to the activity because another individual abuses their position of power, authority or trust (such as a teacher or coach)
• Consents on the behalf of someone else

It is important to note that a person cannot claim he or she honestly believed consent was given under certain circumstances. If the accused was drunk at the time or elected to ignore signs indicating consent was not given, or if the accused did not take reasonable steps to ensure there was consent, an individual could easily be convicted of sexual assault.

A knowledgeable sexual assault defence lawyer can help you build a strong defence if you have been accused of charges of this nature.

Defence Against Allegations of Sexual Assault

To counter the claims of sexual, you have the following defences:

• Consent: To determine if a sexual assault took place, it must be established the sexual activity occurred against the will of the alleged victim.  In order for the defence to establish a reasonable doubt that that the complainant consented, it usually boils down to a credibility and reliability contest between the complainant and the accused. Both parties often have their own recollection of what happened.   A good criminal defence lawyer can often successfully challenge the complainant during cross examination and obtain a not guilty verdict.  In some instances, consent will be impossible to prove (i.e. where the alleged victim is mentally challenged or a minor or was very drunk or asleep at the time of the sexual activity).
• Innocence: To claim innocence, the accused must create a reasonable doubt that they could not have committed sexual assault because they were in an entirely different location at the time the assault took place.  Alternatively,  the accused could argue that the sexual activity did not happen and is completely fabricated.  Finally, the accused may claim they have been misidentified as the perpetrator.

The Best Sexual Assault Defence Lawyers in Toronto, Kitchener, London and Windsor

If you are charged and convicted of a sexual crime in Canada, your life will be permanently affected. Often, you will be required to register with law enforcement as long as you live. This is after dealing with other standard penalties of prison time and probation. Even after release from prison, those convicted continue to endure punishment by society, family and people who were once considered friends.   Employers will generally avoid hiring someone with a criminal record for a sexual assault conviction and travel outside of Canada may be affected.

The sexual assault defence lawyers at Kruse Law understand what it takes to protect your reputation, freedom and rights. We have extensive experience providing solid legal counsel and winning court room representation to clients charged with any type of sexual crime.

Do not put your freedom at risk. Schedule a free consultation or call us toll free at 1-800-699-0806 today. We are standing by ready to answer your questions and can help you with your case.