The beginning of the Jian Ghomeshi trial this week raises several concerns and issues around sexual violence such as: why don't women report? Is it possible the complainants lied? If the survivor is telling the truth, why may there still not be a conviction?

People are likely to hear many interpretations of these situations in the coming days. To services such as  Women's House Serving Bruce & Grey, stories of women facing sexual harassment in the workplace, physical and sexual violence and violence in dating scenarios are too common.

These women's stories do not detail adventurous forms of sex but instead, they reflect the women's experiences of sexual and physical violence.

Many victims/survivors fear reprisal for sharing their stories. Most women choose not to file police complaints and the reasons given for not coming forward publicly are many and varied.

These fears reflect the concerns of most survivor/victims of sexual violence. They point to the many root causes of low reporting and conviction rates of sexual assault in Canada. For example:

. Many survivors do not report due to stigma, embarrassment, self-blame, fear of not being believed and concerns for repercussions in their personal relationships – particularly when the offender is a friend, family member, acquaintance or co-worker

. The majority of sexual assault offenders are in fact known to the victim in some way (as reported by Statistics Canada, 2003)

. Acquaintances, friends, dates or relatives are more likely to use tricks, verbal pressure, threats, negative consequences or victim-blaming rhetoric (i.e. "You know you wanted this." or "If you tell about what happened here, you will be in trouble." ) This inevitably impacts upon a victim's ability to react, resist or

report what happened.

. False allegations of sexual assault are not a common social problem. The laws on consent are clear. What IS a common social problem is (1) the reality that survivors of sexual assault are regularly not believed or supported when they disclose their experiences of violation and (2) offenders are not held accountable for their actions. In reality, the majority of all reported sexual assault cases are simply not reported at all (less than 10%) according to METRAC, an Ontario based violence prevention and education organization - and those that are reported are rarely resolved through the criminal justice system. Due to the limits of the criminal justice system response, a small minority of those initially charged with sexual assault actually see convictions. With these realities in mind, Women's House reaches out to survivors of sexual violence, their support people and to anyone who may find themselves as a bystander in situations of sexual violence, particularly as it may occur in the workplace.

If something has happened to you, there are people who will believe and support you. You can talk to a trusted friend, family member or contact a sexual assault centre support line. You can access a support line from any community across Ontario. If you are considering reporting, we can help you think through your

options. If you are not considering reporting, that's okay too. All calls are free and confidential.

If you are a friend or colleague of someone who is dealing with sexual violence, there are things you can do. You can be an ally to the person who is victimized, instead of to the aggressors.

If you are an employer, there are things you can do. You can speak up or step in. You can ask for help from others and then step in together. You can take leadership to understand your obligations to safety as an employer and ensure that these are in place at your workplace.

Education and information go a long way toward the prevention of violence.

Local toll free numbers for confidential, 24 hour support are: 1.866.578.5566 or 1.800.265.3026

source: media release, Women's House serving Bruce & Grey