Paul Douglas Callow (born c. 1955) is a Canadian
serial rapist
A serial rapist is someone who commits multiple rapes, whether with multiple victims or a single victim repeatedly over a period of time. Some serial rapists target children. The terms ''sexual predator'', ''repeat rape'' and ''multiple offending ...
who was convicted of raping several women in the
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
area in the mid-1980s. Because of his method of attack (entering his victims' homes through balconies off the ground) and the fact that his identity was unknown, he was called the Balcony Rapist by the popular media.
Life in the 1980s
After
stalking
Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The term ...
his victims, Callow climbed onto their second- or third-story balconies and entered through broken windows or doors. Callow had already sexually attacked two women in the 1970s before he raped five women at knife-point during the Toronto attacks. His string of rapes in the Wellesley and Sherbourne area included the brutalization of a woman who became known as "Jane Doe".
''Jane Doe v. Board of Commissioners''
His fifth victim, using the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
"Jane Doe", successfully sued the Toronto police for not having warned women in her neighbourhood about the four earlier
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...
s. She also claimed that the police were using her as bait to draw out the predator.
The police took the position that if they had publicized the fact that a serial rapist was attacking women in the area, he would have simply committed his crimes in a different location, making his apprehension difficult. In fact, the Toronto police had threatened to charge Doe with mischief, because she put up posters in her neighbourhood warning about the Balcony Rapist. In a case filed as ''Jane Doe v. Board of Commissioners of Police for the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto'', Doe won her case and on July 3, 1998, was awarded damages of $220,000 plus interest by the
Ontario Court of Justice (General Division). She was subsequently named Woman of the Year by the Canadian women's magazine ''
Chatelaine'' in 1999, and published the book ''The Story of Jane Doe: A Book About Rape'' in 2003.
Prison and later life
Callow served the full length of his 20-year sentence in prison.
While in prison, Callow was accused by a prison employee of
sexual assault.
After this accusation, Callow refused to participate in any treatment programs.
[
On February 23, 2007, Callow, then 52 years old, was released from jail in British Columbia. He initially settled in Newton Town Centre in Surrey, British Columbia. Police did not release Callow's precise address. Following a protest in Surrey, Callow moved to ]New Westminster, British Columbia
New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...
. On March 3, 2007, New Westminster had a rally of protest.
It was reported on March 7, 2007, that Callow lived in an emergency shelter in New Westminster, and the only help he receives is a 20-minute daily meeting with a third-year social work student.[ Callow was reported as saying he was "worried about vigilantism".][
When he was sentenced, Callow was not designated a ]dangerous offender
In Canada, England, and Wales, certain convicted persons may be designated as dangerous offenders and subject to a longer, or indefinite, term of imprisonment in order to protect the public. Other countries, including Denmark and parts of the U ...
. Concern about his release has led to a proposal by some elected officials from New Westminster for legislative change allowing convicts to be designated dangerous offenders after they have been sentenced, if they exhibit violent behaviour while in jail.[
]
See also
* Duty to warn
A duty to warn is a concept that arises in the law of torts in a number of circumstances, indicating that a party will be held liable for injuries caused to another, where the party had the opportunity to warn the other of a hazard and failed to ...
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callow, Paul Douglas
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Canadian rapists
Canadian prisoners and detainees
Prisoners and detainees of Canada