94% of sexual assault victims choose not to report to the police.
The system isn’t broken.
It’s working as it was designed to.
We all deserve a justice system that works fairly and efficiently.
Why do so few cases make it to trial?
Who represents the interests of survivors?
What could justice look like?
Sexual assault is the only crime where victims are scrutinized as if they were the guilty party.
The Defendants is a narrative podcast that blends personal storytelling, investigation, and reporting.
We hear from survivors, lawyers, advocates and experts on how the system fails, and what it could look like.
Listen to the series.
Episode 01
First Encounters
We take a look at first encounters: with the justice system, with telling someone, and with the law. We're looking beyond the headlines to the root issues underneath, and exploring the first steps in the process for victims: disclosure and the decision to go to the police.
Episode 02
You Have the Right to an Attorney
We're trying to understand how we can better insert victims' rights into the legal process, without superseding the rights for accused individuals.
Episode 03
The Perfect Victim
We're looking at what makes an ideal victim in the eyes of the law, and society, and who is more likely to be believed.
Episode 04
Not Guilty
We're looking at what it takes to get a verdict of guilty or not guilty, and what it means.
Episode 05
Record Scratch Rewind
We're going backwards so we can map our way forwards. A deep dive into the legal history and case precedent that shapes how sexual assault is prosecuted today.
Episode 06 · Latest
I Went Through the Justice System and All I Got Was a Branded Stress Ball
A raw, powerful account of navigating the courtroom as a sexual assault survivor, and what justice (and the lack of it) actually feels like.
Creator & Host
Meet Jane Aster Roe
Jane is an award-winning Canadian writer and producer, with experience across platforms from indie production houses to CBC.
The Defendants was born out of the anger and bewilderment Jane felt as a victim going through the justice system, and the realization of how unjust the process is for so many.
"I created a show that would give people a firm and thorough understanding of how the system actually works, so that we could start having necessary conversations."Learn more about Jane
What to expect
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For every 1,000 sexual assaults that occur, only 2 offenders on average will receive a guilty verdict.
We explore the complicated realities of the legal system and the broader cultural conversations tied to accountability and due process.
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We sit down with the people working inside the system and those fighting to change it.
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What “worked” for them (and what didn't)? What do they want from the justice system? And what do they need others to know?
Survivors share unfiltered accounts of navigating a system that often re-traumatizes the people it was meant to protect. -
An understanding of the legal system often involves complicated jargon that you need a degree to understand.
Whether you're a survivor, an activist, or just someone who wants to understand, we break it down so that everyone can comprehend what’s happening.
Because, without a common language to describe what’s wrong, we can’t get to solutions.
Illustration by Laura O’Connor