Be the Hero of Your Own Story
To mark National Victims of Crime Awareness Week, we are sharing words of courage and giving #HeroesofResilience a platform to share their stories of resilience and healing.

To mark National Victims of Crime Awareness Week, we are sharing words of courage and giving #HeroesofResilience a platform to share their stories of resilience and healing.
BC enacts a victim compensation program (now Crime Victim Assistance Program)
The first rape crisis centres open in Vancouver
The Canadian Criminal Code is amended to limit questions about a complainant’s past sexual history
“Sexual assault” replaces the crime of “rape” in the Canadian Criminal Code expanding the definition to include violence beyond vaginal penetration only
Sexual assault of a spouse becomes a crime in Canada
The BC Victim Assistance Program is formed and funded. Existing programs are consolidated into this new program.
New federal legislation permits the levying of victim surcharge fines and allows Victim Impact Statements to presented at the time of sentencing.
The budget for the Secretary of State Women’s Program (which provided funding to many grass roots feminist organizations including rape crisis centres) is reduced by 30%.
The Supreme Court of Canada amends the Rape Shield Law that had limited questioning of a complainant’s sexual history during trial. The changes allow sexual history to be included in some circumstances.
The first Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program in BC starts at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
The Supreme Court of Canada rules that the medical and counselling records of a complainant in a sexual assault case, must meet a two-part test. The defendant must establish that the records contain information relevant to their defense. Judges must balance the right to a fair defense, and the right to privacy.
BC passes the Victims of Crime Act
Bill C-79 introduces amendments to the Criminal Code that strengthens the voice of victims.
Statistics Canada General Social Survey reports that only 12% of sexual assaults in Canada are reported to police.
The High Risk Offender Community Notification Advisory Program is established to assist justice agencies to determine whether an offender’s presence in the community merits restrictions on his behaviour or public notification.
The Community Coordination for Women’s Safety Program is started by a partnership between the BCASVACP (now the Ending Violence Association of BC) and Victim Services Division.
The newly elected BC Liberal Government eliminates the Ministry of Women’s Equality.
Funding for BC’s rape crisis and women’s centre is cut. Most close their doors between 2002 and 2004.
BC’s Crown Victim/Witness Services are eliminated
BC Legal Aid funding is cut by 38.8%. The cuts disproportionately impact womens’ access to justice after an assault.
New Crime Victim Assistance legislation comes into effect in BC; the program no longer compensates for pain and suffering.
Police execute a search warrant for illegal weapons on a property owned by Robert William Pickton and his siblings. The search leads to a break in the BC Missing Women Investigation. Robert William Pickton is charged with 15 counts of 1st degree murder
Statistics Canada General Social Survey reports that only 8% of sexual assaults in Canada are reported to police. Stats Can recognizes sexual assaults as the most under-reported offence to police.
12 more charges are laid again Robert Pickton bringing the total number of 1st degree murder charges to 27. It is the largest investigation of a serial killer in Canada.
Justice Williams rejects one count against Robert Pickton and splits the remaining charges into two groups. The first group of six counts proceeds to trial.
Jury finds Robert Pickton guilty of 6 counts of 2nd degree murder. Pickton is sentenced to maximum sentence – life without the possibility of parole for 25 years
Tyrone Burton (Ontario) becomes the first person convicted of human trafficking in Canada. Burton is a repeat sex offender. Crown seeks dangerous offender designation.
Crown prosecutors announce they have stayed the remaining 20 murder charges against Pickton.
Statistics Canada General Social Survey reports 9 in 10 sexual assaults (885) are never reported to the police
Criminal Code is amended to include a five-year mandatory minimum sentence crimes involving the trafficking children.
Surrey Women’s Centre pilots a 24-hour sexual assault team to increase supports for women before, during and after the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Vancouver Police Department releases Missing Women: Investigation Review. Deputy Chief Constable Doug LePard apologizes to the victims’ families
The Missing Women’s Commission of Inquiry is formed. Retired judge Wally Oppal examines the role of the Vancouver police and RCMP in the disappearances and murders of women in the Downtown Eastside.
Criminal Code amended to enable prosecution of Canadians who traffic humans outside of Canada.
Surrey Women's Centre and Fraser Health launch SMART - BC's first regional 24-hour mobile assault response team.
The Missing Women’s Commission of Inquiry releases its final report.
The Ministry of Justice releases BC's Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking focusing on preventing and addressing the trafficking of youth for sexual exploitation; vulnerable workers; and the domestic trafficking of Aboriginal youth and women.
Statistics Canada General Social Survey reports that only 5% of sexual assaults in Canada are reported to police.
Reza Moazami becomes the first person convicted of human trafficking in BC. Moazami had forced teens as young as 14 to work for him out of hotels in Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver. He is sentenced to 23 years in prison.
This timeline was adapted and updated from the Violence Against Women In Relationships: Victim Service Worker Handbook.