A man acquitted of forcing his wife into sex work in Alberta and Nova Scotia will now face a retrial after the Supreme Court of Canada overturned the acquittals. The man, identified as T.J.F., had been found not guilty of sex trafficking charges, but the Supreme Court ruled that the trial judge failed to properly consider the man’s history of violence against his wife, which undermined her credibility and could have supported her claims of abuse and coercion.
The woman, known as J.D., testified that she was forced to provide sexual services for money under threat of violence, and that her partner kept all the earnings. Witnesses, including her family and friends, supported her testimony about years of abuse. The Supreme Court found that the trial judge mischaracterized the evidence, which led to a flawed acquittal.
The couple had been in a violent relationship from 2004 to 2012, during which time the accused reportedly pressured his partner into webcam sex work, and later, in-person sex work. The woman testified that the accused controlled the situation by posting ads and taking the money from her services. Despite the abuse, she didn’t report it at the time for fear of losing her children.
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