Woman Suing Cops For Locking Her In Police Van With Convicted Sex Offender Who Raped Her

A Canadian woman is reportedly suing cops after they locked her in a police van with a convicted sex offender who raped her in the vehicle.

The complainant, who has not been named, was just 17 when the alleged rape took place, on September 19, 2011, in Tasiujaq, a village in northern Quebec. The woman was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

The officers involved are named in the lawsuit, as well as the local police service and the regional government. The suit claims “a serious lack of professionalism and gross negligence” from the police and seeks $400,000 in compensation.

The court documents note that the arresting officer, from the Kativik Regional Police Force, handcuffed the then-teen and put her in the back of her van, where 24-year-old Joe Kritik was already sitting, without handcuffs. Kritik already has four convictions for sexual assault.

Apparently, when the officers returned to the vehicle, they found Kritik “with his pants (trousers) down while on top of the plaintiff. The plaintiff was unable to defend herself, being handcuffed in her back and unable to leave the vehicle, the doors being locked.”

The Independent reported that, even though she had just been raped, the girl was kept in a police cell overnight and was not given medical attention, nor were her parents contacted.

Kritik was sentenced to 39 months in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting the victim in the police van.

The lawsuit claims, as reported by La Presse, “The KRPF manifested a serious lack of professionalism and gross negligence by leaving an inexperienced police officer, with no knowledge or life experience of northern Quebec populations, and without the authorisation to carry a firearm, to ensure alone the security of the public.”

The woman, now aged 21, apparently suffers from a stress disorder as a result of the rape, has regular nightmares about it, and is afraid of men.

A psychologist’s report used in the case noted, “Her depression, loneliness and isolation are getting worse.”