Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) has made great strides in enforcing the importance of ensuring equality and protection towards all women in Canada particularly in regards to sexual assault. For instance, LEAF’s legal background helped create Section 15 and Section 28 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which has enabled them to advocate and intervene in many legal cases where they believe women are at risk of mistreatment and discrimination not only in the legal system, but in society as well (“History”). Since LEAF’s establishment in 1985, LEAF has contributed to the prevention of sexual assault through policy reforms in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Criminal Code of Canada ("LEAF 30th Anniversary Timeline”).
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Fortunately, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund has stopped this from continuing any further by being a part of the modification of the Criminal Code of Canada which guards personal information, such as the names of victims of sexual assault from being released to the public (“16 Ways LEAF”). In doing so, LEAF has provided women who have experienced sexual assault the ability to decide whether or not they would like to disclose their personal information with society. Victims of sexual assault in Canada no longer have to feel pressured to reveal their personal information because LEAF has provided them with these options. Additionally, LEAF has protected women from having to deal with interrogations that are irrelevant in their sexual assault case, such as their sexual past (“Women’s Legal Education”). This is a crucial benefit to changing violence against women in Canada as women of sexual assault do not have to fear that their history will interfere with them winning their case. This inevitably creates a positive atmosphere for women as they feel that they can report any form of violence against them without it being blamed on them for it occurring. Lastly, allowing a woman’s sexual history as evidence in court is a strict violation of her rights and LEAF’s work on Section 15 and Section 28 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as it goes against “rape shield” laws which protects a woman’s sexual past from going against her in court (“LEAF and Your Body”). As a result, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund has brought upon a positive environment for women who are victims of sexul assault as they no longer have to worry whether they will be believed in the court of
Fortunately, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund has stopped this from continuing any further by being a part of the modification of the Criminal Code of Canada which guards personal information, such as the names of victims of sexual assault from being released to the public (“16 Ways LEAF”). In doing so, LEAF has provided women who have experienced sexual assault the ability to decide whether or not they would like to disclose their personal information with society. Victims of sexual assault in Canada no longer have to feel pressured to reveal their personal information because LEAF has provided them with these options. Additionally, LEAF has protected women from having to deal with interrogations that are irrelevant in their sexual assault case, such as their sexual past (“Women’s Legal Education”). This is a crucial benefit to changing violence against women in Canada as women of sexual assault do not have to fear that their history will interfere with them winning their case. This inevitably creates a positive atmosphere for women as they feel that they can report any form of violence against them without it being blamed on them for it occurring. Lastly, allowing a woman’s sexual history as evidence in court is a strict violation of her rights and LEAF’s work on Section 15 and Section 28 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as it goes against “rape shield” laws which protects a woman’s sexual past from going against her in court (“LEAF and Your Body”). As a result, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund has brought upon a positive environment for women who are victims of sexul assault as they no longer have to worry whether they will be believed in the court of