PILLAR 01
Judicial Reform & Criminal Code Modernization
The legal system is supposed to deliver justice for survivors of child sexual abuse. Right now, it doesn’t always. PROTECT Canada is working to change that.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
When a child reports abuse, the legal system should protect them, not put them through more pain.
Going through the court system after experiencing abuse is hard. For children, it can be especially traumatic, being questioned repeatedly, facing the person who hurt them, or watching a case get dismissed because the law wasn’t designed for the kind of abuse they experienced.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR CHILD?
Canada’s legal framework for child sexual offences hasn’t kept pace with what we now know about how abuse happens. Coercive, ongoing abuse by someone in a position of trust is not always treated differently than a single incident by a stranger. Cross-examination practices, delays, and inconsistent sentencing mean two children who experience similar abuse may have very different experiences depending on where they live.
WHAT CAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW?
Advocacy actions you can take today
Contact your PM
Tell them trauma-informed justice and child victim rights matter to your family.
Take action hub
Use our parent action tools: templates (coming soon), share, and subscribe for bill updates.
RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
Guides, tools, and where to go next
PROTECT Canada is a policy initiative. For direct support, use partner services. For advocacy, use the action hub.
What this means for your family
If your child ever has to go through the justice system, they should be treated with care, respect, and the full weight of the law on their side.
THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM
Statutory frameworks have not kept pace with the evidentiary and clinical understanding of coercive, patterned abuse.
Current Criminal Code provisions insufficiently distinguish between isolated incidents and patterns of coercive control or grooming-facilitated abuse. Sentencing ranges lack consistency across jurisdictions, and victim rights provisions in Bill C-16 require reinforcement for implementation fidelity.
KEY AREAS OF FOCUS
- Criminal Code modernization to incorporate coercive control and grooming as aggravating factors
- Sentencing harmonization across provincial and territorial jurisdictions
- Trauma-informed judicial training and procedural reforms for child witness testimony
- Victim rights provisions, strengthening Bill C-16 implementation
- Review of publication ban provisions affecting survivor disclosure rights
LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT
Bills, statutes, and policy landscape
Bill C-16 (Protecting Victims Act) is the primary legislative vehicle for judicial reform and victim rights enhancements. The Working Group monitors parliamentary progress and is prepared to submit to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
WORKING GROUP & RESOURCES
Judicial Reform Working Group
- Judicial Reform Working Group terms of reference (target: Q3 2026)
- Briefing materials on trauma-informed court processes
- Submissions to justice committee processes as windows open
LATEST NEWS & UPDATES FOR PILLAR 1
Legislation changes, coalition news, media, new resources for this pillar.
APRIL 2026
Judicial Reform Working Group reviews Bill C-16 implementation gaps
Briefing notes on victim rights provisions and trauma-informed court processes.
MARCH 2026
Cross-jurisdictional sentencing analysis underway
Comparative review of sentencing consistency for child sexual offences.
Take action on this pillar
Your voice strengthens the push for reform. Share what you’ve learned or contact your representative to let them know child protection is a priority.
Join the working group
Your voice strengthens the push for reform. Share what you’ve learned or contact your representative to let them know child protection is a priority.
