No Rush, Just Judgement

She is a 40-year-old woman, who accuses a man who drove a ParaTranspo vehicle of molesting her.  Chronologically she is 40 years of age.  The man she accuses, Gazban Abdalrahman, happens also to be 40 years old.  He, purportedly, is in full possession of normal intellectual and physical faculties.  She was born with Down Syndrome.

She is reputedly capable of 'reading and colouring', but incapable of managing her finances.  She struggles with the concept of time and is not capable of fully living on her own, independently.  This, according to the prosecutor in the criminal case that the woman has brought against the man whom she accuses of sexual harassment.

She is, however, fully capable of realizing her right not to be unwillingly touched and handled by a man.  She is adamant that she wants "justice served", because, she said to the detective who investigated her complaint: "I don't want this to happen to anyone else."  Nor, obviously is she anxious to ever herself have a repeat occurrence.

And the "this" she speaks of is several incidents where this woman of 40 with the instincts and trust of a child suffered the unwanted physical advances of someone who was aware of her vulnerabilities and attempted to take advantage of her.  Of course, it is his word against hers; one of those classic "she said, he said" situations, somewhat complicated by her personal limitations.

"I didn't like it.  I felt awful, weird, like being abused", she told Detective Guy Seguin, who responded to her official complaint.  "I said, 'don't.  That's not appropriate.  I just want to go home'."  She volunteers her services at a group home.  There, he attempted to kiss her. 

On an earlier occasion, Gazban Abdalrahman, employed by Capital Taxi as a subcontractor for the specialty bus service, and transporting the woman home from the group home, fondled her.  This was the second sexual assault.  A week earlier the same man drove her - she recounted during the trial now taking place - to a secluded parking lot, suggesting they have sex.

Mr. Abdalrahman has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.  The video made by police of her statements to Det. Seguin was played in the court, where she explained that as he was driving her home on the Queensway he reached toward her and began "pawing" at her, while she sat reading on the front seat.

She said the driver was angry with her when she recoiled at his advances.  He accused her of not accepting him because he was Arabic.  She said that he informed her that in the country from which he emigrated he could do what he had had done with no fear of repercussions.

"He can't do that here.  Maybe in his own country he can do it, but this is Canada, and he can't do it here", she said.  And then asked if he could be deported, having earlier assured the detective that the complaint she lodged was all about his actions, having nothing whatever to do with the man's race or religion.