PPP Policy Director Evan Mascagni was recently interviewed for an article on how a Canadian anti-SLAPP law could help survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence:
In the U.S., “anti-SLAPP legislation is definitely a tool that survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence can use to combat frivolous litigation,” said Evan Mascagni, policy director at the Public Participation Project, an organization seeking to expand American anti-SLAPP protections.
SLAPP suits — strategic lawsuits against public participation — are what B.C.’s new legislation is aimed at preventing. Often, they’re filed by large corporations with a wealth of legal and financial resources, against activists or journalists who lack both.
“SLAPP filers don’t go to court to seek justice,” Mascagni said. “They just want to intimidate and harass.”
The success of a SLAPP suit doesn’t depend on winning at trial — it comes from dragging an opponent through a costly, time-consuming legal battle and, said Mascagni, making their “life a living hell.”
Read the full article here: