Woman alleging sexual assault by Canadian soldier cross-examined by defence

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A woman who alleges a Canadian soldier sexually assaulted her while at Canadian Forces Base Borden in 2018 came under fire by the accused’s defence lawyer in a Barrie courtroom on Tuesday.

Elle Jaszberenyi was 53 and a military member when she claims then-Private Oleksii Silin raped her in a broom closed after the two shared a drink in a common room.

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During cross-examination, Silin’s defence lawyer, Mitchell Worsoff, became frustrated with Jaszberenyi's testimony, saying, “We’re trying to get to the truth of what happened here.”

Jaszberenyi testified Silin pulled her into the dark closet and that the accused "turned into another person," describing the incident as “the opposite of a romantic situation,” while Worsoff referred to the act as intercourse.

“I wouldn’t call it intercourse,” Jaszberenyi said. “It was rape.”

She told the court she tried to leave the room but couldn’t, saying she “had to survive this somehow.”

In a 2018 military police interview, Silin, in his broken English, said he kissed Jaszberenyi, and “she didn’t say nothing.”

During that same interview, Silin accused Jaszberenyi of exaggerating the events. "I said, Let's go with me, and she said, 'No, like I want to go sleep,' and then I take her hand, and just maybe that's why, like, force.”

In the Barrie courtroom on Tuesday, his defence lawyer argued Jaszberenyi went into the closet with his client willingly and was laughing about it.

Jaszberenyi countered, alleging Silin targeted her, and that she repeatedly told him no while he violated her.

She went on to characterize Worsoff’s suggestions as “victim blaming” and “appalling,” and told the courtroom this is why victims of sexual assault don’t come forward, adding she was shamed and ultimately lost her career.

Cpl. Silin is expected to testify when the trial resumes on Thursday. The allegations against him have not been tested in court.

A prior publication ban protecting Jaszberenyi's identity, as a complainant of sexual assault, was removed at her request in September 2023.