At the conclusion of a lengthy trial during which she heard dozens of witnesses, the Honourable Chantal Tremblay finds that Gilbert Rozon sexually assaulted and harassed eight women and orders him to pay a total of $880,000 to the plaintiffs Patricia Tulasne, Lyne Charlebois, Danie Frenette, Annick Charette, Anne-Marie Charette, Sophie Moreau, Guylaine Courcelles, and Martine Roy.
In two detailed and meticulously written judgments totaling nearly 600 pages, made public today, Judge Tremblay acknowledges the truth of the assaults and harassment reported by these women.
The judge concludes that Gilbert Rozon’s conduct is that of a sexual predator. She notes that over two decades, he used various pretexts to find himself alone with women before assaulting them.
She gives no weight whatsoever to Mr. Rozon’s testimony: “Mr. Rozon’s credibility as well as the reliability of his testimony are greatly undermined by the aforementioned inaccuracies, inconsistencies, implausibilities, and contradictions. Indeed, these are significant and can only be explained by a lack of honesty and sincerity on his part.” The judge even emphasizes that “the use of the verb ‘to lie’ is generally to be avoided in a judgment due to the fallibility of human memory. Here, it is warranted.”
The judge orders Mr. Rozon to pay punitive damages, noting in particular his lack of remorse, his contemptuous comments toward the plaintiffs, and his claims that he himself was the victim. She also takes into account the duration of his misconduct, the high number of victims, and his modus operandi.
Beyond the conviction, this judgment attests to the strength and resilience of these women who, by daring to report their aggressor, can now reclaim the voice that had been taken from them.
The eight plaintiffs who prevailed expressed great relief upon the release of the judgment. Although nothing can erase the harm they experienced, the court’s recognition of the facts allows them to find some comfort and to continue their healing process.
The judgment also marks significant progress in access to justice for victims of sexual assault. More specifically, it confirms the constitutional validity of two provisions of the Civil Code of Québec: section 2858.1, which prevents the use of myths and stereotypes in civil judicial proceedings, and section 2926.1, which abolishes the limitation period that previously required victims of sexual violence to sue their aggressor within a certain timeframe.
The plaintiffs in this case are represented by Me Bruce W. Johnston, Me Jessica Lelièvre, Me Anne-Julie Asselin, and Me Marie-Laure Dufour of the firm Trudel Johnston & Lespérance.
