VANCOUVER—In a defamation lawsuit brought by Steven Galloway, a former creative writing professor and author, significant testimony has emerged regarding unsubstantiated allegations of rape and sexual assault against him. The case has unfolded against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny over how the University of British Columbia (UBC) manages complaints related to sexual misconduct.
Glynnis Kirchmeier, a former graduate student representing herself in the B.C. Supreme Court trial, testified about her involvement in advocating for UBC to improve its handling of sexual misconduct allegations. Kirchmeier revealed that she had contacted David Eby, the current Premier and former legislator for the riding encompassing the university, to report separate allegations of sexual assault and harassment specifically related to the history department. She stated that Eby reached out to university officials in November 2015, just days before the allegations against Galloway became public, raising concerns about student safety and the university's response to misconduct claims.
During her testimony, Kirchmeier detailed a conversation she had in spring 2016 with A.B., the woman who accused Galloway. This discussion took place after a report by a retired judge, hired by UBC, concluded that the allegations against Galloway were unsubstantiated. Kirchmeier indicated that A.B. felt coerced into a sexual relationship with Galloway and expressed her belief in A.B.'s account. A.B. subsequently revealed to Kirchmeier "something about choking, going together with raping," which led Kirchmeier to interpret that A.B. did not view her relationship with Galloway positively; she stated, “I ultimately felt that consent is a state of mind of a victim.”
It is important to note that Galloway has adamantly denied the assault claims, asserting that they have unjustly destroyed his career. A.B., whose identity is protected by a publication ban, has indicated to the court that she is no longer maintaining that she was assaulted but has instead argued that she merely reported the alleged incident. Notably, A.B. is not testifying in this trial, citing her struggles with mental health.
In the proceedings, it was revealed that UBC commissioned retired judge Mary Ellen Boyd to investigate the claims against Galloway, ultimately determining that the allegations were unsubstantiated. Under cross-examination, Kirchmeier acknowledged having written an email in which she referred to Boyd as a "shill," suggesting that the university had hired Boyd to conclude that it bore no liability regarding the claims against Galloway.
Galloway's lawyer, Daniel Coles, probed Kirchmeier on whether she believed Boyd was hired with a predetermined outcome in mind, to which she confirmed. Kirchmeier's tweets from 2018 have become central to Galloway's defamation claims against her. Galloway expressed that he had felt physically ill upon reading one of these tweets, questioning, "why is this person I’ve never met calling me a rapist?"
Justice Neena Sharma observed that Kirchmeier contends Galloway's legal pleading is improperly framed, noting that she had used the phrase “sexual harasser-slash-rapist,” which Kirchmeier clarified was intended to indicate multiple possibilities rather than a definitive accusation. Kirchmeier concluded her case on Tuesday, with the trial set to resume on Friday.
