OttawaThis week, Jessica Baker revealed her identity as the survivor of a 2016 sexual assault by Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard when she chose to have a publication ban lifted — a choice she had thanks to the earlier advocacy of a group of women determined to change the legal system for the better. Advocates urged government to consult victims about applying, lifting court-ordered bansDavid Fraser · CBC News · Posted: Nov 21, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Jessica Baker, formerly known in court as JB or the ‘Ottawa woman,’ is now revealing her identity as the survivor of a 2016 sexual assault by former Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard. (Frantic Films)This week, Jessica Baker revealed her identity as the survivor of a 2016 sexual assault by Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard when she chose to have a publication ban lifted — a choice she had thanks to the earlier advocacy of a group of women determined to change the legal system for the better.In 2023, Kelly Favro, Morrell Andrews and other members of My Voice, My Choice came to Ottawa to see Bill S-12 passed into law.The group had urged the government to update the law so courts were compelled to consult victims about applying publication bans, and when to lift them.Favro fought for six and a half months to get a publication ban on her identity lifted in 2021. Her experience culminated in the recently released CBC documentary Breaking Idol. Kelly Favro was among the advocates who came to Ottawa to see the new law passed. (Kelly Favro)”The reforms that [we] were able to push forward in 2023 meant that survivors like Jessica could decide for herself whether and how to speak publicly,” Favro said from her home in Victoria. “For [Jessica], that choice was crucial so she could reclaim her voice without fear of criminal consequences.”Andrews, who stood next to Canada’s attorney general in Ottawa when the law was introduced, agrees that giving victims the choice is crucial. “I’m just grateful that in the last two years, people have had the option to make that choice for themselves, to decide if being identified in public is part of their healing journey and justice journey,” she said.Consulting victimsPreviously, blanket publication bans could be applied without the consent or even the knowledge of a victim or witness, who could have faced charges for breaking them. Now, judges must ask victims whether they want a publication ban, and prosecutors must advise them on how to get a ban lifted so survivors can speak freely and share their own identity without violating a court order.”Publication bans are now tools for protection and not instruments of silence,” Favro said. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti and Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime Benjamin Roebuck look on as Morrell Andrews speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on April 26, 2023. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)Favro said she got to know Baker and helped her understand the options available to her, including the choice to opt out of a publication ban.”It’s about creating a space where survivors can make the decision for themselves,” Favro said. “Jessica is the one who made it possible by choosing to share her story.”In June, Favro, Baker and Kristi Lee, host of the podcast Canadian True Crime, formed Beyond the Verdict, an advocacy group that supports sexual assault survivors and raises awareness about the justice system.”This case highlights why survivor-led advocacy matters. High-profile situations can really traumatize people if they feel their voice isn’t their own,” Favro said. “The significance of this moment is that survivors now have more control over their story.”More work to doAndrews, Favro and other advocates continue to call for stronger laws to better protect victims. In a report released this week, Canada’s victims of crime advocate said survivors of sexual violence are being systemically betrayed by the criminal justice system.Benjamin Roebuck’s report is based on more than 3,000 interviews, surveys and case reviews. It makes 43 recommendations and calls on the justice system to confront “structural conditions silencing survivors.””When survivors are going through that significant step to remove a publication ban, we really need to listen,” he said in an interview. Andrews urged lawmakers to take Roebuck’s recommendations seriously.”I would just implore parliamentarians to take a look at the recommendations and to do the same honorable work that they did to work across party lines and fix the publication ban law,” she said.ABOUT THE AUTHORDavid Fraser is an Ottawa-based journalist for CBC News who previously reported in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
New rules on publication bans cleared way for victim to come forward
