In Canada, a charge of sexual assault or sexual touching is considered one of the most serious offenses. It covers any sexual contact without consent and can even extend to ambiguous gestures or words, misinterpretations, or allegations made months or even years after the alleged events. If convicted, the consequences are severe: a criminal record, mandatory registration in the National Sex Offender Registry, a required DNA sample, loss of the right to possess firearms, and often, a prison sentence.
But well before any potential conviction, the personal, professional, and social impacts are already immense. A simple accusation can destroy a reputation, break relationships, and plunge an accused person into a spiral of fear and helplessness.
