Victim of crime speaks out against Harper bill

(Updated)

The Harper government has introduced its new victims’ rights bill, promising to put victims’ needs at the centre of the justice system.

But a Hamilton woman who has been victimized by crime in the worst possible way, and who now works with victims every day, is speaking out against the bill.

Lori Triano Antidormi lost her two year old son Zachary 17 years ago. He was stabbed to death by a mentally ill neighbour, who believed the little boy possessed the soul of her dead son.

Antidormi has struggled long and hard to successfully build her own recovery, and as a registered psychologist, she specializes in the needs of victims of crime, and their trauma. But as victims’ week kicked off today, Lori Antidormi had strong criticism of the proposed Conservative legislation, saying it not only fails to address the real needs of victims, but offers false hope of their role in the criminal justice system.

“Given our current judicial system, which focuses on the accused and the state — the victim has no role. And this bill actually states, when read in detail, that it does NOT give victims a role.”

“It so upsets me that the government is misleading victims by suggesting that they will have access to information, and more participation. If you read the bill, you will take note, that given our current system, there are limitations to both.”

“Victims need access to service which is provided by people well trained, to assist them. They need someone to explain the system to them. To make them aware of how it works, and to make them aware of the limitations regarding the access to information and participation.”

Antidormi says we should not, and cannot tear down our legal system to make the false promises of the victims bill of rights “true”. Instead she says, we may need a parallel system of sorts, that will help victims to understand, and cope with our legal system, and to obtain professional help, and support, to help them deal with their loss.