Quebec adds specialized court in Montreal to support victims of sexual and domestic violence

After launching a network of specialized courts for cases of domestic and sexual violence in 2022, the Quebec government is adding one in Montreal.

Friday’s announcement brings the total to 25 of the province’s 36 judicial districts.

The specialized courts stem from a recommendation in the 2020 Rebuilding Trust report, which aimed to better meet victims’ needs and led the Quebec government to adopt Bill 92 in 2021.

The government said the courts are designed not only to rebuild victims’ trust in the justice system but also to provide “integrated and tailored” psychological and legal services from their very first contact with police.

“We cannot stress this enough: we no longer want victims of sexual or domestic violence in Quebec to hesitate to file a complaint and report it,” said Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Quebec, Simon Jolin-Barrette.

“We are bringing about a real cultural shift throughout the Quebec justice system. From now on, victims will be the first to be considered. We want them to feel supported, listened to, understood, and above all, safe throughout their entire process.”

The specialized court will also provide training on issues related to sexual and domestic violence for everyone involved in the system. It will also offer a safe space for victims in order to avoid, as much as possible, coming into contact with their alleged aggressor.

The court will also give access to testimonial support devices, such as screens and videoconferencing rooms.

“The addition of 25 sociojudicial liaison officers, a position created specifically for the specialized court, to the Crime Victims Assistance Centre will allow victims to receive support and guidance from a single resource throughout their judicial process, sparing them from having to repeat their story multiple times,” the government said in a press release.

The specialized officers will be responsible for assessing the risks victims may face and directing them to regional specialized resources best equipped to meet their needs.

Six prosecutors and three technicians have also been added to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions in Montreal, which will allow a single prosecutor to support the victim throughout their entire process.

The government noted that the specialized courts do not change the application of the law, and the rights of the accused remain unchanged.

“Initially conducted as a pilot project, the work completed to date has allowed us to define best practices and assess the impact of the specialized court model in various contexts,” the government added.

“We are now continuing the rollout of the specialized court across Quebec by November 2026, as stipulated in the Act to establish a specialized court for sexual and domestic violence cases.”