Quebec desires to handle a loophole in a federal laws that’s permitting a whole lot of individuals convicted of sexual assault to serve their sentences at home as a substitute of in jail.
The province’s justice minister, Simon Jolin Barrette, says his authorities will ask the following federal authorities to tighten the principles round what he known as “Netflix sentences” which were drastically rising in numbers prior to now three years.
“For the sufferer and for the inhabitants, [that’s] a breach of belief, ” the ministers advised reporters on Tuesday.
He says the loophole is because of Invoice C-5, a laws enacted by the Trudeau authorities in November 2022 that aimed to scale back discrimination within the justice system.
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The 12 months earlier than it got here into impact, the province says 52 offenders had been eligible to serve their sentence at house. However in 2023 and 2024, that quantity climbed to 263 after which 347.
“We wish victims to not hesitate to [report an incident], and that regulation didn’t assist,” he added. “They’re responsible and so they obtain Netflix sentences.”
Jennie-Laure Sully, an advocate and group organizer from Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle (CLES), advised World Information she and her colleagues typically hear complaints about these “insulting” sentences served within the consolation of their very own house.
“It’s actually a difficulty,” she mentioned, including that victims have expressed that they might really feel safer and extra validated if their aggressors served their time behind bars.
Whereas it’s already so tough for victims of sexual assault and exploitation to return ahead, she mentioned this might discourage folks from urgent costs.
“It’s sending the perpetrators the message that they will do that with little consequence.”
Barrette says he desires the following federal authorities to tighten the principles across the regulation.
In the course of the marketing campaign, each the Liberals and the Conservatives have vowed to crack down on crime, with Pierre Poilievre addressing the difficulty extra immediately this week.
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