The story of Jane Doe
The woman known as Jane Doe is a feminist activist, community organizer, writer and teacher who led a revolutionary challenge to police practices surrounding the investigation of rape. After her rape in 1986, she became the first woman to secure her own legal representation in the criminal prosecution of her rapist, and went on to sue the Toronto Police for violating her constitutional right to equality and for breaching the duties they owed her as an identifiable target of a serial rapist. She was challenged at every turn, but fought to hold the police accountable in an 11-year legal battle. And she won. In 1998 she was awarded a verdict against the police in the amount of $220,000. Her case is recorded in legal reporters as Jane Doe v. Toronto (Metropolitan) Commissioners of Police. The case set legal precedent, and is taught in law schools across Canada. Following that victory she worked along with others for another 10 years on the review of the investigation of sexual assaults - Toronto Police Service, also known as the Jane Doe Social Audit in Toronto in an attempt to ensure that police implemented changes to their policies and practices around the investigation of rape. Jane Doe still continues to work for the elimination of rape myths and stereotypes that are pervasive within police culture, in the media and in other of our institutions and to bring forward feminist change to legal practices around rape. Her book, The Story of Jane Doe, (Random House) tells the story of her case and was nominated for several literary awards.
Image by Shary Boyle.