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On being a victim: court failure

No wonder victims are loathe to press charges.
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On being a victim: court failure

Re: “One of four charges stick in bizarre fight”, (Citizen, Dec. 1).

No one plans or wants to be a victim but sometimes serious injuries (in this case cracked ribs and a blow to the ear, later causing deafness) leaves one with no alternative but to press charges through the courts. It’s the only course one has in a civilized society. And Jan and Warrick Whitehead are law abiding, good citizens not given to violence or doing harm to anyone.

To suffer over a year waiting for the court case to be held, then have your story not believed, to have an aggressive lawyer dehumanize you, a Crown counsel not go to bat for you (when you press charges you are not allowed to get a lawyer, you have to depend on the Crown counsel), is enough to shatter anyone. No wonder victims are loathe to press charges. One is left with one’s injuries (both physical and emotional). And to think this has happened to law-abiding good citizens in our own community!

What a travesty of justice!

Lois Thompson

Cobble Hill