Winnipeg, MB, Nov. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Families and Survivors Circle (NFSC Inc.) is calling on governments to take immediate action on the findings of the investigation Rethinking justice for victims of sexual violence: a systemic investigation.
The report by the Office of the Federal Victims of Crime Ombudsman, based on 18 months of research, engagement with nearly 3,000 survivors, service providers, lawyers and more than 750 court cases, documents persistent barriers in the criminal justice system. Survivors continue to fear that they will not be believed and be re-traumatized during reporting and investigations, and delay access to justice. The results show that the system often fails those it is designed to protect.
First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, especially women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, are overrepresented as victims of violent, sexual and gender-based crimes. The report recognizes this disproportionate impact and built on calls for justice from the 2019 National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), including health and well-being, Indigenous-focused victim services, sustainable funding for Indigenous-led programs, education and traditional knowledge, violence prevention, and public safety.
“Native survivors face a range of systemic barriers rooted in colonial policies and ongoing discrimination,” said Hilda Anderson-Pirtz, president of the National Family and Survivors Circle Inc. Rethinking Justice The report provides a roadmap for reform, but governments must act quickly to implement these recommendations and ensure that women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous people are heard, supported and protected.”
Key reforms the report calls for include:
- Ending the practice of treating survivors as suspects, including KGB warnings
- Protecting medical and mental health records from disclosure
- Consideration of the safety of survivors when considering applications for deferment in the case of R. v. Jordan
- Guaranteeing enforceable rights under the Canadian Victims' Bill of Rights, including access to independent legal advice and testimony.
- Investing in culturally safe, trauma-informed support services.
- Expanding opportunities for restorative and transformative justice, giving victims meaningful choices outside the courtroom.
Sexual assault remains one of the most underreported crimes in Canada, with only 6 per cent of cases reported to police. Indigenous survivors face additional barriers due to systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and lack of culturally safe support. Implementation of these recommendations is not only a legal necessity, but also a moral and human rights obligation.
“Every day that these recommendations are not implemented, Indigenous people continue to face harm,” Anderson-Pirtz said. “Parliament, policymakers and institutions across Canada must act now to ensure a justice system that respects Indigenous lives, prioritizes safety and restores trust.”
About the National Circle of Families and Survivors.
National Family and Survivors Circle Inc. (NFSC Inc.) is a legally registered not-for-profit organization made up of Inuit, Métis and First Nations women with diverse life experiences. NFSC Inc. works to ensure that the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, victims of gender-based violence and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are at the center of all implementation efforts 231 Calls for justice, National Action Plan for MMIWG2S+And Federal way.
Website: https://familysurvivorscircle.ca
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