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“This goes directly against the military ethos … and shows a clear lack of respect for (the victim),” prosecutor Maj. Dominic Martin told the small hearing room. “The military is trying to reduce instances of sexualized behaviour.”

Martin described how in April 2016, Florian-Rodriguez was at a naval operations school in Halifax for a course and was staying with other reservists at the Stadacona base. He said the complainant was visiting Florian-Rodriguez’s roommate, but the pair were left alone when the roommate stepped outside.

The military is trying to reduce instances of sexualized behaviour

Martin said Florian-Rodriguez climbed on top of the young woman, held her arms above her head and tried to put his hand in her pants. Martin said the woman told him she wanted him to stop and that he did so only when he heard someone approaching the area.

At the time, Martin said, the woman “felt sick about herself.”

“She wondered what she had done to deserve this,” he told the hearing room.

The woman, whose identity is protected under a publication ban, did not address the court but said outside later that it was difficult seeing him again though she was glad to have the case closed.

“I am happy it is now done,” she told reporters after the hearing, adding that she struggled somewhat in the aftermath of the event. “It was difficult and I had a hard time carrying on with the course.”

Photo by Alison Auld/Canadian Press

She said she reported the incident to the military a couple of weeks after it happened and was pleased with the way it was handled.