A defendant in author Steven Galloway’s defamation lawsuit has told the court that she believed the woman who accused him of rape and sexual assault, allegations that surfaced publicly in late 2015.
Glynnis Kirchmeier, a former graduate student representing herself at the British Columbia Supreme Court trial, described her efforts to push the University of British Columbia to strengthen its procedures for handling sexual misconduct complaints. She also discussed contacting David Eby several years before he became British Columbia’s premier.
Kirchmeier said she approached Eby, who represented the electoral district where the university is located, to raise concerns about separate allegations of sexual assault and harassment within the institution’s history department.
According to her testimony, Eby contacted university officials in November 2015, just days before the allegations involving Galloway became public. His letter reportedly raised concerns about student safety on campus and the university’s response to misconduct complaints.
Kirchmeier further testified that Galloway’s accuser, identified as A.B., contacted her in spring 2016. This conversation took place after an investigation conducted by a retired judge appointed by UBC concluded that the allegations against Galloway were unsubstantiated.
She told the court that most of their discussion focused on their experiences with the university and its equity office. However, A.B. also said she had felt pressured into a sexual relationship with Galloway, and Kirchmeier testified that she believed her account.
Galloway has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that they severely damaged his professional career.
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