Hanna Kelley remembers waking up to bright, fluorescent lights shining down on her, the room spinning every time she tried to get up. A nurse told her she had a concussion. That part made sense. What didn’t make sense, though, was the terrifying realization that she couldn’t move her legs.
Kelley endured 10 months of repeated sexual assault at the hands of her superior at work. After police ignored her reports, she says, the sexual assault escalated into a violent attack that left her with limited mobility, struggling with short-term memory loss and an inability to support herself.
Despite the severity of his actions, the man responsible for the attack never spent a day behind bars.
The newly proposed Bill C-14, the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act promises a step forward for survivors of sexual violence by tightening bail rules and strengthening sentences for repeat and violent offenders. Under the bill, courts would have to consider an offender’s criminal history, the seriousness of the new charge, and the risk to the general public before granting bail.
Despite this, legislation alone cannot break decades of silenced survivors. According to the Alberta government, nearly half of the population (43 per cent) have experienced sexual assault within their lifetimes, but only 6 per cent of cases ever get reported to police. Of the cases that are reported, fewer than half lead to convictions.
These statistics show us a glimpse of a major catch-22 with Bill C-14. While this may help some survivors, advocates say sexual violence is a societal issue shaped by misconceptions, stigma, and systemic barriers. Some survivors are silenced before they can even enter the legal system, let alone get justice for their assaults.
Kelley, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, reported her superior to the police. Although officers took her verbal statement, they said a written statement was required to move the case forward. Within days, the effects of her concussion worsened, and Kelley became unable to write, speak clearly, or function independently for weeks.
As soon as she was medically able, Kelley contacted police again to report the assaults, but was surprised to discover that entirely separate departments would handle the sexual violence and the physical attack as two distinct cases.
At her interview with the sexual assault unit, Kelley said she was faced with skepticism rather than support. She says an officer dismissed one of the recordings as potentially AI-generated, said the case was “not in the public interest,” and warned that it could take up to a year to be prioritized.
While the criminal investigation stalled, Kelley pursued a civil case and submitted the same evidence. Shortly afterwards, she was notified that her attacker had fled the country and could not be questioned.
The Calgary Journal contacted the Calgary Police Service, which verified Kelley’s story using her case numbers. CPS also confirmed that they follow the Philadelphia Model for sexual assault cases, which reviews cases previously considered unfounded through independent organizations to ensure all incidents are accurately reported.
Five years after the attack, Kelley is still unable to return to work. Her official diagnosis is Functional Neurological Disorder, a condition linked to severe trauma that affects brain and body function, leaving her with short-term memory loss and reliance on a walker for four years.
“I left my home country because it wasn’t safe for women, and I believed Canada would be different. After the assault and the way the police dismissed me, I don’t know how to feel safe anymore,” said Kelley. “I feel just as unprotected here, especially now with my disability.”
Kelley’s case highlights a broader problem within the justice system. Survivors, say sexual assault advocates, are often silenced or dismissed before their cases can even reach the justice system.
Why do so many survivors go unbelieved?
Tiffany Petite, a therapist and co-founder of Virtuous Circle Counselling, emphasizes how sexual violence is not just highly prevalent in Alberta, but it’s also deeply misunderstood. Survivors are not just failed by their attackers, but silenced by systems shaped by misogyny, disbelief, affordability barriers and gaps in early education.
“Why do we continue to normalize sexual violence?” said Petite. “Why are we challenging the survivors of sexual violence and not challenging perpetrators of sexual violence?”
Petite emphasizes that unless society confronts the subconscious beliefs and stigma surrounding sexual assault that cause survivors to become discredited, Bill C-14 cannot achieve its intended impact.
The therapist stresses that most cases are not strangers in the dark but rather someone the survivor knows personally. This betrayal contributes to a reluctance to report.
“I think we have these ideas of what sexual violence looks like from shows like Dateline, where the assault happens when the character is walking home alone in the dark, when in reality, the majority of cases are actually from your inner circle or people you trust.”
In fact, 80 per cent of sexual assaults are committed by someone close to the victim, whether that be a close friend, family member, coworker, or acquaintance.
Scarlett’s story
Scarlett Myers was only 19 when she was sexually assaulted at a university party while out with friends she thought she could trust. She spent the next four years of her young adult life learning to navigate the complexities of sexual assault reporting, just for her attacker to get the minimum sentence, resulting in him serving only a fraction of that sentence.
“Saying two years, and only serving nine months in prison, is not impactful enough. When we look at the statistics of sexual assault, it’s clear that perpetrators of sexual assault don’t just do it once. Stricter sentencing would help to make sure they don’t do it again,” said Myers.
Myers remembers returning to campus after the assault to hear rumours circulating about what happened. Overwhelmed, she told her mother, and together they drove to Sheldon Chumir Health Centre, the only hospital in Calgary which administers sexual assault forensic exams for people more than 14.
The exam can collect evidence up to 7 days after an assault, and the results can be stored anonymously for up to 12 months. If the survivor hasn’t involved the police within that timeframe, the evidence may be destroyed.
Myers’ test came back positive for DNA, but that was only the beginning of her journey. Sexual assault forensic exams can confirm that intercourse occurred, but not consent.
After taking a few days to process, Myers decided to press charges.
However, she quickly learned that sexual assault reporting isn’t a straight road. It’s a maze, and sometimes the only way through is to advocate for yourself. “I didn’t have a lot of life experience back then—I wasn’t very confident,” she said.
Officers repeatedly questioned the 19-year-old about her alcohol intake that night and described the assault as “intercourse,” leaving her feeling unheard throughout the process.
Her attacker pleaded guilty a month before trial. Although he was sentenced to two years, he served just nine months in jail. “He never even spent a Christmas in prison,” said Myers.
Despite her experience with the court system, she holds on to hope that with each generation, the voice of silenced survivors gets louder and harder to ignore. “I don’t think I will see massive change in my lifetime,” she admitted. “But I do think every generation gets a little better.”
Sexual assault experts such as Corinne Ofstie, co-CEO of The Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services, agree that though the legal reform is a necessary step forward for survivors like Myers, it must be paired with support services and alternative justice pathways to truly break the cycle of silenced survivors.
“Legislation like tougher sentencing and bail reform is a step in the right direction, but given that only 6 per cent of sexual assaults are ever reported, these reforms only help a small fraction of supporters,” said Ofstie. “Survivors need access to services that are specifically tailored to sexual violence and trauma. Legislation alone isn’t enough.”
Access to services for victims of sexual assault is another challenge. Many report prolonged wait times for access to services, leaving survivors waiting years for support.
Overwhelmed systems, survivor-led solutions
Experiencing these service gaps firsthand, Erin Brassard founded STAND Against Sexual Assault (STAND ASA). The organization is a survivor-led peer support program that has grown into a province-wide support system, including education, holistic healing workshops, and retreats. Brassard’s journey began when her niece confided in her about being assaulted.
“I shouldn’t have gone with him,” her niece said. “I shouldn’t have drank so much.”
Brassard felt the urge to shake her niece, to tell her it wasn’t her fault. She was barely out of high school. And then it clicked. It wasn’t her fault either.
“I had been carrying my experiences of sexual assault silently for over 10 years,” said Brassard. “It took someone I love to tell me their story for me to realize it is never our fault. It is the person who chooses to harm another who is responsible.”
That night, she searched the internet for support services, only to discover long wait times and overwhelmed systems. Calgary Communities Against Sexual Assault, for example, had a 16-month wait for support. “We’ll email you when a spot becomes available,” they told her, making her feel like just another number in an overburdened system.
She wanted to create a peer support system in Calgary for sexual assault survivors, but the process wasn’t easy. Brassard and two friends, all survivors, called centres across Alberta, often facing skepticism.
“The doors were slammed on us, asking, ‘What is your education?’ I would reply, ‘I don’t have any. I am a survivor, and I bring lived experience.’ They told us it couldn’t work, they didn’t think we knew what we were doing.”
Eventually, they stumbled upon the Sexual Self Support Center of Ottawa, which had been running peer support for over 36 years, and took their learnings back to Alberta.
That is where STAND ASA started, and they were only servicing women at the time. Since then, it has grown exponentially to include male mentors and past clients who now mentor others.
Now, the organization has expanded to offer holistic healing workshops, ranging from breathwork and yoga to rage workshops. All sessions are free, anonymous and counselling sessions are unlimited.
After Brassard began sharing her own story, she noticed a pattern. Each time she shared her story, someone else would come forward.
“It almost always started with ‘I’ve never told anyone,’” she said. “I realized that by sharing your story, you became a safe person for others to share. Healing starts with telling and with knowing that you’re not alone.”
Breaking the silence
Bill C-14 could change the current problems that sexual assault survivors such as Brassard, Myers, and Kelley face; the legal reform needs to come with bigger change surrounding misogyny and systemic bias, believes Petite.
Systemic problems, advocates worry, continue to silence and discredit survivors.
“Next time you are in a crowded space,” said Petite, “look around the room. One in two of the people around you [has] been sexually assaulted. Sit with that. Really understand what that means. It could be your mom, your sister, your brother, your uncle, or your daughter.”
Resources for survivors
Stand Against Sexual Assault
Services: Peer support, wellness workshops, Alberta-wide in-person and online support programs, confidential support, and holistic healing programs.
Website
Phone: 1-825-777-8263
Phone: 403-797-0660
Calgary Sexual Assault Response Team
Services: 24/7 response for sexual assault.
Address: Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre, 1213 4th Street SW (24-hour service)
Phone: 403-955-6030
Connect Family & Sexual Abuse Network
24-hour crisis line: 403-237-5888 or toll-free 1-877-237-5888
Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinical Services – Family Planning Services
Services: STD testing, treatment, emergency contraception and support.
Phone: 403-228-7430 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse (CCASA)
Services: Police and Court Education and Support (P.A.C.E.S.) for victims and witnesses
Phone: 403-237-5888 or toll-free 1-877-237-5888
Calgary Crown Prosecutor’s Office – Public Assistance Unit
Services: Provides information on court proceedings for victims and witnesses.
Phone: 403-297-3912 / 403-297-3913
Alberta One Line for Sexual Violence
Services: Information, support, and referrals across Alberta.
Toll-free support line: 1-866-403-8000
Sexual Violence Survivors Legal Advice Program (Alberta)
Services: Free legal advice for sexual assault survivors
Toll-free support line: 403-716-6484