NCJ Number
141653
Date Published
1992
Length
113 pages
Annotation
This report provides an overview of the impact of Canada's Bill C-15 (Child Sexual Abuse Amendments) on both the child welfare system and the criminal justice systems regarding child sexual abuse.
Abstract
Bill C-15 took effect on January 1, 1988. The law has created three new offenses relating to the sexual abuse of children: sexual interference, sexual exploitation, and invitation to sexual touching. It has also changed rules of evidence and procedure regarding sexual offenses and the testimony of juveniles under the age of 18. The intent of the law is to provide better protection to child sexual abuse victims and witnesses, to increase the successful prosecution of child sexual abuse cases, to improve the experience of child victims and witnesses, and to bring sentencing in line with the severity of the offense. Research on the effects of the law involved site studies, case law review, and evaluations of pilot projects. The research found that charges brought under the new offenses have increased over time. More charges were brought under section 151 (sexual interference) than under section 152 (invitation to sexual touching) or section 153 (sexual exploitation). Conviction rates in cases of child sexual abuse were high. The rates can be explained, in part, by a large percentage of guilty pleas. This suggests that the law is effective in facilitating the successful prosecution of child sexual abuse offenders. Professionals working in the criminal justice system reported that younger children are now being allowed to testify, indicating that the law has been effective in bringing evidence against persons who can no longer escape conviction because of the young age of their victims. Overall, the law has had its intended effects in the jurisdictions examined for this research. 19 references and a 4-item bibliography