Minister looks to repair trust between sexual assault victims, justice system

Nova Scotia's justice minister says he's committed to improving the trust between sexual assault victims and the justice system.

"We're seeing incident after incident and and it's disappointing and it's frustrating," saidMark Furey after a cabinet meeting Thursday.

"But I'll assure you, there is a focused effort within the Department of Justice to work toward solutions and providing additional supports."

Furey made the statement after being prompted by reporters to talk about the Halifax woman who said she was suingHalifax Regional Police and the RCMP for negligence after allegedly mishandling her rape case.

"Obviously, these are circumstances that the survivor has taken exception to and she has chosen to pursue a course of action that she believes will provide her the best remedy," he said.

Carrie Low and the lawyer representing her planned to file a lawsuit on Monday seeking damages against the city and the federal government.

Furey refused to discuss the details of the case, but said the biggest challenge the department faces is ensuring that survivors feel comfortable reporting sexual assaults.

"I'm committed to improving that and finding solutions," he said.

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