Pubdate: Thu, 26 Feb 2015
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2015 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.winnipegsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Floyd Perras
Page: 9

SHELTERS CAN'T BE RUN LIKE PRISONS

How would you feel if your daughter was ordered to strip naked by her
teachers and wrongfully accused of selling drugs?

When news broke that a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Quebec City was
forced to remove her clothing to prove she was not carrying drugs I
couldn't help but think of my daughter when she was that age.

The girl was accused of dealing pot after a teacher confiscated her
phone and went through her text messages, in one of which she had
joked about selling marijuana.

The young student was then ordered to strip naked behind a blanket in
the principal's office. A spokesperson for the family later said the
girl had felt intimidated, violated and ashamed.

The Quebec school commission fired back saying the search had been
carried out as per "established norms."

If you have a daughter, you'll know the teenage years are often
complex and trying for both the youth and the parents. But you'll also
know that, as a parent, you would do just about anything to protect
the dignity of your daughter.

Nude search

I am left wondering if the process as per "established norms" is
really worth the outcome?

In most cases, even the police wouldn't be allowed to strip-search
your daughter unless they were formally arresting her and charging her
with a crime. But a principal in a Quebec school can order a nude
search if he or she feels the ends justify the means.

I've been working with street-involved men and women for most of my
life, many of who were - and are - in desperate circumstances.

And while I could point out some situations where a strip-search would
have been beneficial in finding a weapon or an illicit substance, I
couldn't tell you of one single case where the process would have
justified the outcome.

During the past few years I've met many of the homeless shelter and
housing directors across North America. They often focus on safety
when describing their operations.

Treated as perpetrators

Some in the United States have the men completely undress and stand in
a line each night before entering. It is slightly better for the women
but I wonder how this really helps anyone. In the morning they can go
find their stash of drugs and weapons anyway. Prisons with the highest
security continue to have problems with drugs and weapons.

These organizations are set up to operate more like prisons than
emergency shelters. Guests are treated as perpetrators when, in
reality, they are often victims.

We want Siloam Mission to be the furthest thing from a prison. Our
goal is to treat everyone with dignity and respect and help them move
toward a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Occasionally someone will try to disturb the peace by slipping in a
weapon or drugs but we deal with the behavioural outcomes and empower
this community to point out concerns.

I am thankful that all our Winnipeg shelters demonstrate a high
standard of dignity and respect. If we expect people to behave like
equals then we must treat them that way. After all, the people who
rely on our services are daughters and sons, too.

Floyd Perras is executive director of Siloam Mission.
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MAP posted-by: Matt