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| Male Survivors United Petition |
| Purpose of Our Petition The purpose of this online petition is to support male victims/Survivors of Newfoundland and Labrador who are prohibited from accessing gender based* support through the Provincial Sexual Assault Centre. The Centre has chosen to voluntarily come under an incorrectly termed "feminist mandate" which demands a female only space. A great insult to the courage of women who fought and suffered for the right of gender equality. A link to the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centres web site is displayed below in the resource links section. Within their site you will find the following publish but invalid mandate for the Centre. It states "The services of NLSACPC are accessible to all, regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, socio-economic status, ability, religious beliefs or geographical location." Despite this mandate, male victim/Survivors are being revictimized each day with the denial of access to gender based* supports. To insure that gender based services are not available to male victim/Survivors, the Centre also prohibits males from volunteering within it's education program despite it's consistent request for volunteers. This hidden exclusion is not known to the male victim/Survivor until he contacts the Centre and is informed that it is female only. As the only Sexual Assault Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador, the NLSACPC has a moral, if not legal obligation to receive all victim/Survivors equally and to accommodate each victim/Survivors needs based on individuality. This practice of discrimination of victim/Survivors based on gender must stop. *Males are given the opportunity to have counselling via phone the line with a "female volunteer" only. |
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| Certain of the links listed here could be termed men's or women's rights. We promote neither of these forms of sites as we believe, they follow "exclusive agendas" which work to damage the efforts of the other. Listed here are articles to information for noted individuals. MSU as a group, works to promote an inclusive victim/Survivor movement which allows for a persons right to choose their individual needs in recovery. |
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| Shawn ferrie-Beulman vs Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre. Human Rights Commission File #2598 Update: November 03, 2008 It is with tremendous gratitude that I have the pleasure to share with you that a resolution has been found, in the need for inclusion of gender based treatment within the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre. The Centre's acknowledgement and apology for its discrimination, along with having taken responsibility for its part in the exaggerated delays in addressing the revictimization of males, renews our hope for an inclusive approach to addressing the needs of all victim/Survivors. Now the healing can begin as we come together on the promise of equity and equally. This successful resolution is a result of the efforts of many, a few of whom I will attempt to note in here. However the list in reality, is endless. To my partner Lucie Simard, whose love, support and understanding; have sustained me, and brought us through this experience. For sharing her strength, when mine failed and her belief in me, when mine wained. Thank you Lucie. I am blessed beyond measure with the gift, of having you... share your life... with me. I want to commend Barbara Wadman, coordinator for the N.L.S.A.C.P.C. for her courage in taking the steps necessary, to bring about these changes in the Centre�s policies and operations, thus allowing for gender based services being offered. Her apology on behalf of the Centre�s board members is both sincere and insightful for all concerned, and is graciously accepted. Along with her experience in the Centre and in the community as a whole, Barbara brought her person to the resolution. To the members of Male Survivors United (M.S.U.) and Survivors Advocating Gender Equity in Services (S.A.G.E.S.), I thank you for your strength and determination throughout this three and a half year experience. Our struggle has been acknowledged and victim/Survivors will benefit from these changes in the Centre�s policies and operations. Together we can effect change and bring equity into the Survivor community. To Helen Conway, Legal Counsel with the Human Rights Commission I thank you for your energy, compassion and endurance. Most especially, for your open-mindedness in taking time to educate yourself on this case and then moving forward with it. I know the effects of re-victimization on myself throughout this experience has been difficult as it spilled over into our discussions. I thank you for keeping me and the case in perspective, and for doing it with such gentle kindness. To Kenneth Templeton, Legal Counsel with Stewart McKelvey Law firm for his representation of the Centre. Mr. Templeton played an integral part in bringing about this resolution which benefits both the Centre and all victim/Survivors. Your selfless work on behalf of the Centre is appreciated by all persons involved in this case. This resolution is accepted as an honor to men like Randy F. who suffered alone, but whose experience motivated this case; and as a tribute to the countless male victim/Survivors like my brother, Tony Ferrie, who loss their battles with the effects of untreated sexual assault. Their lives, his life, were not without purpose. |
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