Story summary
Steven Galloway, a bestselling Canadian author and former University of British Columbia (UBC) professor, is suing four individuals for defamation. The case stems from allegations that Galloway sexually assaulted a former student, "A.B.", who later accused him of rape in 2015. During the trial at B.C. Supreme Court, Galloway testified that he was shocked to learn about these accusations and denied any wrongdoing, stating their two-year affair had ended amicably.
Galloway claims A.B.'s subsequent allegations, including three alleged incidents of sexual assault, are entirely fabricated. He maintains they were never criminally charged but his career suffered immensely; UBC fired him in 2016 following an investigation, and since then, his annual income from book royalties has dropped to $5,000 to $10,000 annually, compared to a three-book deal he had prior. Galloway also testified that the allegations have severely impacted his ability to write.
The trial, which began in early November 2023, involves testimony from witnesses including Galloway's wife Katie Wagner, who described finding him hospitalized on suicide watch when he first learned of the accusations while in Ohio for a speaking engagement. The case highlights broader debates about freedom of speech and due process in cases involving sexual misconduct allegations.
Written for “Galloway Defamation Trial” on 2026-10-09,
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Author tells B.C. defamation trial sexual assault claim derailed career, ability to write
'I just can’t do it anymore.
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I → tell → it
I wish I could,' Steven Galloway told a Vancouver courtroom on Thursday
Author and former University of British Columbia (UBC) creative writing professor Steven Galloway wept as he testified that he can no longer write since unproven allegations of sexual assault derailed his career.
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allegations → wish → career
"I just can’t do it anymore.
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I → do → it
I wish I could," he said.
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he → wish → ?
Galloway told the B.C. Supreme Court judge that writing was the "greatest part" of his life.
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writing → tell → life
The defamation lawsuit was launched by Galloway after a former student, known only as A.B., alleged he sexually assaulted her, while others spread the claim on social media.
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others → launch → media
After Justice Neena Sharma allowed for a short break in testimony on Thursday, Galloway stood and briefly rested his head on a concrete wall behind the witness box.
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Galloway → allow → box
The court heard he’d been writing a comedy novel to be part of a three-book deal with a major publisher, and a paperback version of his novel The Confabulist was in the works before the allegations surfaced in November 2015.
He said his income from book royalties has "cratered" to about $5,000 to $10,000 a year "tops," and he hasn’t received any invitations for speaking engagements since the woman, with whom he had an affair, accused him of rape and sexual and physical assault.
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he → hear → rape
Galloway denied the allegations during his testimony on Wednesday.
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Galloway → deny → Wednesday
On Thursday, his lawyer questioned him about the state of his career.
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lawyer → question → career
"I, like every writer, got plenty of bad reviews, and it ruins your lunch, but not your supper," he said.
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he → get → lunch
"I've never had my humanity torn apart the way this process has done that."
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process → have → that
Galloway testified earlier Thursday that people who signed a letter criticizing the university’s handling of the misconduct case against him were subjected to "extremely hurtful" comments, and suffered socially and professionally.
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who → testify → comments
The letter, known as "UBC Accountable," was published in November 2016 with signatories from the literary community including Margaret Atwood, but Galloway said many removed their names after a wave of vitriolic criticism online.
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many → know → criticism
He said people lost jobs and friendships were ruined, and one signatory called him in tears, saying her daughter was never going to speak to her again.
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daughter → say → her
A number of friends, even those who believed in his innocence, would not talk to him anymore because being associated with him would be "career suicide," he said.
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he → believe → him
Writer Steven Galloway is pictured in his former office at the University of British Columbia in March 2014.
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Galloway → picture → March
Galloway told the court that "UBC Accountable" became a hashtag that spread widely online, and became an "all-encompassing" term referring to him, and that he reacted with disgust, dismay and horror to the thousands of vitriolic tweets that were published.
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that → tell → tweets
He told the court that a reporter from The Canadian Press had phoned him "relentlessly" and came to his home and left messages in his mailbox, seemingly having access to confidential information.
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reporter → tell → information
Galloway said he had attended a hospitality suite during a writer’s festival in October 2016, against his "better judgment," and said some people spoke to him and others saw him and walked out.
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others → say → him
He said an article in The Walrus magazine reported that he was given a "standing ovation" at the festival, which he said didn’t happen, and he contacted the publication’s editor about the inaccuracy.
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he → say → inaccuracy
Galloway said the article portrayed the Canadian literature scene as "a den of rapists and rape apologists" who applauded him after his public shaming and firing.
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who → say → shaming
"I still don't quite understand how the editors at The Walrus didn't fact check that," he said.
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he → understand → that
Galloway said that journalists had been hounding him for interviews ever since the allegations against him were made public.
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allegations → say → him
He said after he’d won an arbitration award from UBC, he "briefly had the hope" the storm of tweets would subside, but they continued.
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they → say → tweets
Galloway did not get his job back as part of the arbitration.
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Galloway → get → arbitration
"I wouldn't have gone back, for a million dollars a year, to that place," Galloway said.
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Galloway → go → place
'It doesn't matter what you do'
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you → matter → what
He said journalists had been pursuing him for interviews "since day one," and he decided to grant one to Globe and Mail columnist Gary Mason, thinking it may cause people to leave him alone.
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people → say → him
"The Gary Mason article didn't do anything.
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article → do → anything
If anything, it made it worse," he said.
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he → make → ?
"One thing I've learned through all this is that when a mob starts coming for you, it doesn't matter what you do."
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you → learn → what
He said he learned about an art show being held in New York in 2018 through defendant Mandi Gray’s Twitter, a "rape narrative" exhibition that didn’t mention him by name, but included the "UBC Accountable" hashtag.
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that → say → hashtag
The lawyer for the woman who accused Galloway said Wednesday that his client's defence no longer includes an assertion that Galloway sexually assaulted her, but only that she reported the assaults.
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she → accuse → assaults
The court heard he got a job cleaning and fixing swimming pools, writing online marketing advertisements, and he currently works as a "boat broker."
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he → hear → broker
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