This project addresses the way in which civil damages are assessed and awarded to the victims of sexual assault. Civil actions for damages, broadly speaking, comprise lawsuits commenced by plaintiffs against defendants for alleged wrongful conduct. Sexual assault can be defined as the intentional application of force that violates a person's sexual integrity, without that person's consent. Civil actions for damages are one means by which survivors may seek redress after they have been sexually assaulted. In particular this project focuses on compensation issues, which requires translating the harm of the wrongful conduct into monetary damages in order to compensate the plaintiff for his or her losses.
Keywords: sexual assault, rape, rape victims, civil remedies, victims & crime, damages, tort actions, fiduciary duty, liability, civil justice, gender issues, equity, equality, accidents & injuries, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Civil Remedies for Sexual Assault Project Committee