Quick summary
- The Protecting Victims Act received Royal Assent to become law in Canada last week, creating a safer future for victims of coercive control and the animals they care about.
- Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, criminalizes the distribution of animal sexual abuse material while recognizing harm or threats against animals as part of coercive control and criminal harassment.
- These types images, harms, and threats are not only acts of cruelty toward animals—they are also used to groom and exploit children and control victims.
- This historic milestone was made possible through years of advocacy from Humane Canada (the federation of humane societies and SPCAs) and Member organizations.
Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, has received Royal Assent in Canada!
What is the Protecting Victims Act?
Violence against animals and violence against people are deeply connected, a reality that has left children, survivors, and animals without the protections they needed. Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, is a crucial step forward that recognizes the violence link and takes action where it is urgently needed.
The bill criminalizes the distribution of animal sexual abuse images, material that has been used to groom, manipulate, and exploit children. It also expands protections for people whose animals are harmed or threatened as a form of coercive control, a tactic widely used in intimate partner violence and criminal harassment.
These measures close long-standing gaps in Canadian law and strengthen safety for the entire family unit.
The Protecting Victims Act became law in Canada after receiving Royal Assent in Ottawa last week, along with Bill C-225, another act introducing stronger penalties for intimate partner violence.