Photo: Nicholas Johansen
Tips for readers: This story contains descriptions of rape and sexual assault.
A woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted by four young men in a basement in West Kelowna in 2018 called her mother shortly after the alleged assault, before calling 911.
The applicant in the YW case continued her testimony in the court in Kelowna on Thursday. Brothers Christian and David Dupas, along with Cole Comin and Trevor Pereverzov, are accused of sexual assault and illegal detention resulting from an incident in June 2018 after a night of drinking.
During her testimony on Thursday, YW, whose identity is protected by a ban on publishing, said she recalled that four defendants took turns raping her in pairs after she awoke from a “blackout” of drinking. She said she repeatedly asked the men to stop and tried to get out of bed several times, but “they just pushed me back.”
“I had no way to defend myself,” YW said, adding several times that she had never consented to sexual activity with any of the men.
YW said the attack ended when Christian Dupas told her she had to leave because his girlfriend was on her way home. She testified Wednesday that Christian was “really rude to me.”
“I said something like I hope she dumped you because of what just happened to me,” YW testified. “[Christian] he pushed me away and locked the door behind him. I got in the taxi and went home.
“I was just exhausted by what happened. Everything didn’t look real. “
YW testified that she “slept for a while” and then called her mother.
“She told me to call the RCMP and not take a bath or do anything … My mother also told me to make a rape kit,” YW said.
YW called 911 and an ambulance took her to Kelowna General Hospital, where she was examined by a doctor and interviewed by Cpl. Megan Foster of the RCMP.
“I was embarrassed to talk about it.” [I was] worried, scared, I’m not sure what’s going to happen, “YW said. “It was really painful.”
To add insult to the injury, she also testified about how she was fired after calling and telling them briefly what had happened to her.
“They just didn’t want me to come back because of what happened, it sounded like I was making up a story,” she said. Castanet does not identify the business, as this information can be used to identify YW
Crown prosecutor Patricia O’Neill asked YW if she had benefited financially in any way by making these allegations, or if she had filed any civil lawsuits against any of the accused. YW said no.
YW contacted Chimney on a dating app and met him in person for the first time on the night of the alleged attack.
She testified about how Comin and his friend Marcus picked her up after work on Saturday afternoon. The three went out for appetizers and drinks before attending a party at West Kelowna’s home.
YW said she knew no one at the party except Comin and Marcus, whom she had just met, and there was only one other woman there. After drinking for a while at the party, the group took a taxi to BNA Brewing, where they stayed for a while before returning home.
YW testified on Wednesday that she remembered watching several people play video games at West Kelowna’s house before “freezing.” She said she woke up and was naked, surrounded by four naked men.
As she says the four men took turns raping her, she testified Thursday that Marcus, who is not facing criminal charges, was in the room when the alleged attacks took place.
“I asked him if he could help me and he refused,” YW said. He just laughed.
Crown prosecutor O’Neill completed his direct examination of YW on Thursday morning, and the defense is expected to continue its cross-examination until the rest of Thursday. However, the trial will not continue until Tuesday due to the long weekend.
The trial is scheduled to continue until the end of the month.
Add Comment