[Wamvan] Fwd: [dnc-board] in the news: Angela on First United

[Tami Starlight]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Wendy Pedersen <wendyccap at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Subject: [dnc-board] in the news: Angela on First United
To: DNC Board <dnc-board at povnet.org>


Safety concerns raised following charge of sexual assault at Vancouver
homeless shelter****

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By Yolande Cole <http://www.straight.com/archives/contributor/yolande-cole>,
July 29, 2011 Georgia Straight****

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Reverend Ric Matthews discussed the city's 10-year housing strategy at city
hall on Thursday. ****

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A Downtown Eastside women’s organization is raising concerns about the
safety of women in co-ed homeless shelters, following an alleged sexual
assault at the First United Church shelter last week. ****

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Police responded to an emergency call at the shelter on East Hastings Street
the morning of Monday, July 25, according to Const. Lindsey Houghton with
the Vancouver Police Department. A 48-year-old male suspect was arrested and
has been charged with one count of sexual assault. ****

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Angela MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women’s Support Services,
told city council Thursday (July 28) that the conditions for women at the
First United shelter are “grave”. ****

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MacDougall addressed council during a discussion on the city’s 10-year
housing and homelessness strategy, which was
passed<http://www.straight.com/article-412656/vancouver/lowincome-housing-concerns-raised-city-vancouver-passes-10year-housing-and-homelessness-strategy>Thursday.
****

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“Right now, women are at risk in First United shelter,” she claimed. “I urge
the city to not flinch in addressing women’s safety in terms of a larger
strategy and in the very present concern that we have today.” ****

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Reverend Ric Matthews of First United Church said staff are working to
improve the safety for women at the facility. ****

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“We’re always concerned about safety for women, and we continue to do what
we can to improve the safety for women,” he told the Straight by phone. ****

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“Those kinds of incidents tend to happen unfortunately very quickly, as this
one did,” he added. “At least the staff were able to intervene immediately
to prevent any escalation of the event.” ****

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Matthews said the incident occurred in an open area of the shelter. The
facility will now be enforcing a rule requiring women to stay in either the
women-only area of the building, or in the couples area. ****

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He said staff are constantly trying to prevent such incidents. ****

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“The challenge is these things can happen even in the couple’s area,” he
said. “As a result of that, we make sure that there’s staff present in every
area, but particularly in the couples area.” ****

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A coalition of women’s organizations in the Downtown Eastside spoke
out<http://www.straight.com/article-376858/vancouver/sexual-assaults-downtown-eastside-homeless-shelter-ignored-womens-groups-say>earlier
this year about safety concerns for women in co-ed homeless shelters
following a series of reported assaults. ****

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The organizations have been calling for additional 24-hour emergency shelter
spaces for women in the area, and for provincial
standards<http://www.straight.com/article-382418/vancouver/more-emergency-shelter-spaces-needed-women-vancouver-council-hears>to
ensure women’s safety in shelters.
****

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MacDougall said she’s encouraged by the fact that the Downtown Eastside
Women’s Centre is expected to expand its hours of operation beginning in
September. The coalition has also met with B.C. housing minister Rich
Coleman about the creation of more emergency shelter spaces for women. ****

** **

“In the meantime, we have a grave situation in terms of women’s safety right
now, as we’re waiting for these other options to come along,” said
MacDougall. ****

** **

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*Wendy*

*CCAP/604-839-0379*

** **

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-- 
Meegwetch/Thank you/Merci
*Tami M. Starlight*
Vancouver, Canada
tamistarlight at gmail.com
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tami_starlight (twitter)
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604-200-2445home
604-790-9943cell
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