Steven Galloway could have done more to restore reputation, expert testifies

A public relations expert says author and former University of British Columbia professor Steven Galloway could have done more to rehabilitate his reputation after he was accused of rape more than a decade ago.

Norman Stowe, a reputation rehabilitation, public relations and crisis management expert, has testified in Galloway's defamation lawsuit against his accuser, a woman known as A.B., and others who published unproven allegations against him.

Stowe was tapped to produce a report for the defence of A.B., whose name is subject to a publication ban, and told B.C. Supreme Court he'd never worked on a file involving someone accused of rape, but efforts to rehabilitate someone's reputation involve the same steps regardless of the nature of the issue. 

The court heard Stowe believed Galloway had a "strong path to reputational rehabilitation" and could have resumed some version of his writing career, though he conceded under questioning by Galloway's lawyer that his report incorrectly stated the author had made no efforts to do so.

The defamation trial heard Stowe's report included examples of other high-profile people who suffered reputational damage, such as Bill Clinton, Martha Stewart and Tiger Woods, but he agreed under cross-examination that allegations against them were not in the same "universe" as a rape accusation.

Galloway denies the assault claims, which were found unsubstantiated by a retired judge hired by the university, and says they destroyed his career.

Several people originally named as defendants in Galloway's lawsuit, filed in 2018, have settled with him and offered public apologies.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2026

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