Warning: This story contains details of assault that may be distressing to some readers.
A North Vancouver advocate says a recent assault case out of Vancouver provincial court highlights the need for women to report the incident.
"Women must report, report, report," says Cathy Peters, who raises awareness to the issue of human sex trafficking and sexual exploitation for the purpose of prostitution, to politicians, police and the public. "Without a file, police can do nothing. If they want to be anonymous, at the very least report to Crime Stoppers."
The court case involves a man who became jealous of his girlfriend working as a nightclub pole and feather dancer. The man was convicted of assault by choking, and unlawful confinement.
In order to protect the woman’s identity, Glacier Media is choosing not to publish the man’s name and will refer to the woman as “AB.”
Judge Gregory Rideout heard the man moved in with AB in 2018, a year after they met.
AB had attended UBC, worked part-time at a veterinarian’s office, and part-time for the federal government, during the relationship. About the same time, she also began working at the nightclub, according to court documents.
“The accused testified that her job as a dancer did not ‘fly’ with him and the relationship deteriorated,” Rideout said. “The parties mutually agreed to separate.”
The man moved out around Aug. 19, 2021.
Ten days later, he got into her Instagram account and found she was posting pay-for-viewing feather and pole dancing videos on a website called OnlyFans.com.
He subsequently downloaded some of the videos to his device to confront her as he believed she had been either escorting behind his back or had a new boyfriend during their relationship, court heard.
The pair agreed to meet.
The man testified she became amorous in his car and hoped he was going to get ‘lucky.’
“He testified the complainant willingly ‘skipped’ up the stairs into his apartment when she suddenly turned and punched him in his nose,” says Rideout’s decision. “He denies any physical assault of the complainant.”
However, Rideout later concluded, “I reject his testimony that they kissed in his car while he groped her before she skipped up the stairs into his apartment and then she suddenly turned on him and punched him in the nose.”
“I find it was the accused who physically attacked the complainant in his apartment that caused her to be scared and freaking out,” the judge said.
The woman testified she met up with him to retrieve some belongings since the relationship was over. She said that after a tense conversation, they went upstairs where he grabbed her wrists.
According to court documents, the assault happened in a room that had a plastic-covered bed; the bed had restraints and there was a noose hanging from the ceiling. Court heard a camera was set up in the corner and a blanket hung to dampen screams.
“The first thing I thought was if I'm going to die here," the woman said.
She struggled to get free as he questioned her about whether she was escorting or dating someone else.
“One of the things he said was ‘it's too late,’” the woman told the court.
The woman testified the man forced her onto the bed, and that the attack lasted about 20 minutes. The assault ended when she had a panic attack and began throwing up, the judge said. AB said she calmed him down by talking about their relationship.
The woman went to a friend’s place, who convinced her to go to the police.
The court heard the man was injured in a 2016 motor vehicle accident and prescribed Tylenol 3 and OxyContin.
“He began to abuse the prescribed medication. His drug use escalated and he began to use heroin and fentanyl,” Rideout said. “His illicit drug use became an addiction.”
Realizing the problem, the man entered an opioid replacement therapy program. He stopped taking one of those therapies around the time of the incident when he switched to a substitute drug, court documents state.
Peters said such men must be halted before their behaviour worsens.
"It will worsen because our culture tolerates it and is toxic and hypersexualized," Peters said. "Many men feel entitled to use women as they wish."
Women also need to understand what a compromising situation looks like, she added.
"We can turn back the dial on this; education is really important so youth, children and families understand what healthy relationships look like."
The man is due in court for sentencing on Nov. 17.
