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Perhaps the most curious aspect of the shocking allegations against Soulpepper Theatre actor and founder, Albert Schultz, is how someone accused of being a “serial sexual predator” faces not one iota of criminal jeopardy.

The accusations made by the four female plaintiffs of groping and sexual harassment arise from 30 individual incidents alleged to have taken place over a 13-year period starting in 2000. Note the use of the term “plaintiffs” and not the more frequently cited parlance of “complainants.” Despite allegations of unwanted sexual touching, no criminal charges of sexual assault have been laid.

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Why the Soulpepper Four skipped the cops and went after Albert Schultz in civil court Back to video

This tactical decision to adopt a civil attack strategy in lieu of the traditional police complaint may presage a tectonic shift in how women — and it is almost exclusively women — respond to alleged sexual abusers.

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Having watched a litany of complainants flame out under fiery cross-examination in a criminal courtroom, the shift to the relative privacy of a civil case becomes even more appealing when reviewing the recent history of complaints against high-profile entertainers. The complainants in Jian Ghomeshi’s case were roundly discredited in a scathing trial ruling. Even Andrea Constand, who calmly and credibly swatted away hours of withering cross-examination by lawyers for Bill Cosby, left court at the end of the actor’s case with nothing but a deadlocked jury and a mistrial to show for it. For all her troubles, she will be back for a second round, facing an entirely new defence team, in April.