In the past week, the issue of sexual violence has dominated social and traditional Canadian media coverage as allegations have emerged about former CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi.



Lenore Lukasik, chair of the Ontario Coalition for Rape Crisis Centres, says sexual violence is more systemic than most Canadians believe and an issue that is widely misunderstood.

“We know that about one in three women in her lifetime will experience some form of sexual violence," she said, also noting that one in six boys will experience child sexual abuse. "This is absolutely outrageous.”

Lukasik points to five myths in relation to sexual violence:

Sexual violence does not occur as much as we think.

People lie about sexual violence as a means of revenge or personal gain.

Sexual violence is perpetrated by strangers.

Sexual violence only happens to certain women.

Alcohol is less dangerous than date rape drugs.

Many people have pre-conceived ideas about what perpetuates sexual violence and who the predators are. Lukasik says the reality is often surprising to most people.

Watch the video.