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What to Expect

From the Police
When child sexual abuse is reported to the police, they may begin an investigation. If a charge is not laid, do not assume the police did not believe your child. There may not be enough information to identify the assailant, or there may be insufficient evidence for the police to proceed.

From the Courts
After a charge is laid, the suspect will be arrested (once they are located by the police) and taken into custody. A bail hearing will be held within 48 hours. Often the suspect is released on their own recognizance. One of the conditions of bail may be that there be no contact with the victim. Each case is different so ask the police or crown prosecutor about this.

There is usually a preliminary hearing, but this depends on the court chosen by the accused and their attorney. The preliminary hearing will likely be held within a few months of the report to police. The purpose of the preliminary hearing is to determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. If the judge decides that there is sufficient evidence the case will proceed to trial. The trial may not take place for several months. The victim will be required to testify again at the trial.

A verdict of not guilty does not mean that the abuse did not happen, only that it could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt (the standard that used in Canadian criminal cases). Both the Crown and the defense can appeal the decision.

Legal Remedies