A Statement from Steven Galloway

Steven Galloway Responds to BC Court of Appeal Decision

I’m relieved and thankful that this matter will be moving to trial.  These defendants, many of whom were found to have acted with malice—a ruling affirmed by today’s decision—have affected my life and the life of my family in every conceivable way for the past 8 years.  I want to thank all the people who have expressed support over that time.

This lawsuit is about false allegations; it is about defamation and not about the reporting of sexual assault. I sincerely hope no one who has experienced sexual assault views this case as a barrier to reporting. None of the defendants are being sued over any statements made as part of the reporting process set out by UBC policy guiding such allegations. This has been directly stated by both the BC Supreme Court and the BC Court of Appeals.

The defendants are being sued for statements made outside of UBC’s reporting process, often on social media, which carried the factual assertion that I was guilty of one of the most serious crimes there is. As the court has affirmed, it is entirely possible, and even desirable, to engage in public discussion and debate without resorting to defaming people.

All I have asked for is the chance to prove in a court of law that the allegations made against me, and repeated as truth by the defendants in this case, are false. I have not taken this step lightly, and while the past 5 years of litigation has been taxing for myself and my family, I intend to see this process to its conclusion.