Our spring in-house mailing to our donors outlined some of the recent developments in the Ontario prison system, especially the creation of a number of super-jails such as the Maplehurst Correctional Centre, and how they will affect the Elizabeth Fry Society and women in prison. A number of our supporters called or wrote to tell us either that they had already contacted the ministry involved to voice their opinions or to ask us where they could write or phone to voice their dissatisfaction with the changes that are being made to the penal system. Following is an excerpt from our donor letter that outlines the issues that will be faced by our agency and women in the criminal justice system when they are transferred to Maplehurst, possibly as early as the spring of next year. At the end of the article we have noted where you can write or call to voice your concerns about these impending changes.
"By now you have probably heard about the province's move to create a series of super-jails and to have them up and running in a few years. One of the purposes of the super-jails will be to replace local institutions, such as the Vanier Center for Women. One of the super-jails will be at Maplehurst Correctional Centre outside of Milton - 70 kilometres west of Toronto. Maplehurst will be the only prison in Ontario where women who are awaiting trial or are serving sentences of under two years will be held.
What does this mean?
- It means that those women who have not yet been found guilty of any offence but who are simply awaiting trial will do so far from their families. If Milton is a fair distance from Toronto, think how far it is from places like Windsor, Thunder Bay or Kenora.
- It means that almost all pre-trial court appearances by these women will be by way of video, making it much more difficult for them to have meaningful contact with their lawyers or support service workers such as the Elizabeth Fry Society courtworkers.
- It means that women serving even short sentences of a few weeks or months will do so miles and miles away from friends and families.
- It means that volunteers and staff at the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto will have more clients and more work, while at the same time having to travel much greater distances to provide services.
The needs of women in the criminal justice system have not been at the forefront of changes that have been made and will be made to the Ontario prison system. It is the job of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto to push these issues forward and to ensure that women in Ontario jails are not forgotten.
Over the last few years, community corrections has felt the impact of the loss of over 400 halfway house beds in Ontario. This loss combined with a provincial policy of reducing releases has had an impact on the number of women paroled to the E. Fry residence. Severe funding cuts during that time also disrupted our ability to provide some of our programs and services for women in conflict with the law. Now, super-jails and privatization of prisons threaten to further erode the work of the Elizabeth Fry Society and the system of community corrections where, in the past, both the public and private sectors worked together to achieve needed changes for women in conflict with the law and our communities.
We, along with other Elizabeth Fry Societies in Ontario, will continue to meet with Ministry officials regarding plans for the Maplehurst super-jail to try to minimize the difficulties the construction of such a facility will have on women."
If you would like to support our work you may voice your opinion on the upcoming changes by calling or writing to:
Honorable Rob Sampson
Minister of Correctional Services
Ministry of Corrections
25 Grosvenor Street, 18th Floor
Toronto ON, M7A 1Y6
Phone: (416) 325-0408
From the late nineteenth century until 1958, the Female Refuges Act was part of the network of pervasive control society exerted over women, particularly working class women, who did not fit the strict standards of conduct for women at that time. Under the Broad committal provisions of the Act, women could be imprisoned in a refuge having committed no real offense except for staying out late, or for behaviour that was considered promiscuous. All refuges operated some type of industry in which the women worked for long hours for no pay. The Toronto Elizabeth Fry Society saw the injustices caused by this Act and was primarily responsible for the repeal of the offensive provisions of the Act in 1958. (1) (1) Excerpts from a paper entitled, The Female Refuges Act, written by Jill Copeland, present member of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto Board of Directors.
In 1991 Velma Demerson was invited to speak at our annual general meeting about her personal experiences with the Female Refuges Act under which she was arrested and put in jail for almost a year for the "offence" of associating with a Chinese man. Although the events took place when Velma was 18 years old, the impact of her treatment at that time has remained with her to the present day. The following is a partial reprint of the transcript of her speech at our meeting in 1991 as well as information that she recently gave us about her ongoing search for justice.
The Female Refuges Act
By Velma Demerson
"It was spring of 1939, Word War II would commence in September. Most of my life had been spent with my English mother who had divorced my father in 1928. I was 18 years and 8 months old. My mother had a rooming house on Church Street with a tearoom in the front room where she read teacups for 25 cents each. The excitement which plagued a rooming house on Church Street during the depression jangled my nerves and it was decided I should visit my father.
My father was an established businessman in a New Brunswick city. He had married a woman of his own ethnic background and was highly respected in the Greek community. I had lived in my father's home when I was 15 years old, working four hours a day after school and on Saturdays as a cashier in his theatre. Later, I worked full-time in his restaurant behind the soda fountain.
While visiting my father I was secretly corresponding with my Chinese boyfriend in Toronto. We had been going around together since I was 17 years old. We agreed when I returned to Toronto I would join him and get married. However, when I arrived he had gambled his money away so we postponed our plans.
On learning I had run off with a Chinese man my father came to Toronto. There was a loud banging at the door when my boyfriend and I were having breakfast. Two policemen came in followed by my father. I was ordered to get dressed and taken to a place where I was put in a barred cage. Shortly, I was taken into a room and interviewed by a woman. She asked if I had ever slept with anyone else. I felt I would have to damage my character to save my boyfriend from any blame. I said, "Yes."
She asked, "How many?" I said, "Two." She asked me their names and I gave them. Although I wasn't sure, I told her I was pregnant, hoping that would help. I had never told anyone I was pregnant before. Almost immediately I was taken to a courtroom. I stood with my back towards the judge who sat about 10 feet away. We could hear each other distinctly. There were no seats in the courtoom and I didn't see anyone else until a policeman spoke. He was standing half-way down the room on the left-hand side. He related the address where he found me, my boyfriend's name and that he was wearing a bathrobe and I was wearing pyjamas. The judge asked me, "Are you pregnant?" I said, "Yes." He asked, "How far along?" I said, "Three months - I'll get married if you'll just let me out of her long enough." The judge said, "Remanded one week for sentence." I was taken in a black van to a jailhouse. I sat and slept on a bench in a barred enclosure and ate greasy stew at a long table with male prisoners. When I returned to court, the judge said, "You are charged with being incorrigible and I sentence you to one year in the Belmont Home."
On arrival at an immense house I was shown my quarters in a 6-bed dormitory. I was also shown the toilets and told which ones to use, and not to use the one for girls with venereal disease. The girls I met were sentenced to two years or to 18 months definite and six months indefinite. They were 14 to 24 years old. Most of the girls worked in the Home's large commercial laundry. My job was dry-mopping the hardwood floors, and folding sheets with another girl as they came ironed out of the mangle. There was no pay, just bed and board.
When I had been there about six weeks we became alarmed when girls started disappearing. I was among the last batch to be sent to the Mercer Reformatory. The Home was closing down. I was taken to the Mercer with other girls in the back seat of an automobile.
Over the years I have thought that some day I would search for the reason why such a thing could happen. Fifty years later I am able to request my Mercer records under the Freedom of Information Act. Only the Mercer admission register survives.
I learned that I had been sentenced under the Female Refuges Act. Section 15 states: "Any person may bring before a judge any female under the age of 35 years who… is leading an idle and dissolute life."
It further states that: "Any parent or guardian may bring before a judge any female under the age of 21 years who proves unmanageable or incorrigible and the judge may proceed as provided in Section 15."
I found that the official name of the Belmont Home was Toronto Industrial Refuge. The Refuge had been located on Belmont Street since the 19th century.
I found that the date of my transfer did not coincide with the newspaper reports. The newspapers reported the incident three weeks later and there had been opposition after the fact. I found that no notice of the closure of a penal institution had been published in the Provincial or Canada Gazette as required by law. I found there was no Act covering this transfer and it is presumed it was done under The Female Refuges Act.
I found that a neglected girl could enter an industrial or training school without appearing before a magistrate. She could be transferred to an industrial refuge and again to the Mercer Reformatory. A girl could wind up in a barred cell without having been in court.
The Ontario Female Refuges Act indicates it was taken from the Canada prisons and Reformatories Act. This Act provides rules for incorrigible offenders. "Refuge" means an institution for young or adult females. In the 19th century, industrial refuges were for girls under 14 years and a house of refuge was a place adult female prisoners could be transferred to from jails operated by men. Other provinces operating under the same federal Act had different names of Acts for incorrigible females slated for industrial refuges.
Churches or their affiliates were given the "privilege" to lock up females. An order-in-council dated May 1917, gave the right to operate industrial refuges to the Toronto Industrial Refuge for Females and to the Good Shepherd Female Refuge in Toronto. The refuges were included in Charitable Institutions under the Department of Welfare. In 1939 there were five in Ontario. They were receiving 10 cents per day per inmate from the province and about three cents from the city.
Section 15 was brought in at the time of the Royal Commission on the Feebleminded and Venereal Disease in 1919. The church, the military, and elitist women requiring cheap domestic help, supported the Commission.
There was intense propaganda that the population was theatened by mental degeneracy. Through the exploitation of female labour, social legislation could be postponed. The professionals also benefitted in their decision-making capacity on feeble-mindedness. A closed court and prison system contributed to the fact that the average person didn't know refuges existed. Yet, thousands of women in Canada worked for years as domestic slaves in reformatories, industrial refuges, and homes for the feeble-minded."
Since her speech at our annual meeting Velma has written to the Minister of Justice for Canada, the Attorney General of Ontario, the Ombudsman, and the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario advising them that she had never been involved in any criminal activity and requesting an apology. Their responses were varied but no apology was ever given. As a last resort, Velma is bringing forth an application to have the Female Refuges Act declared unconstitutional. A declaration would effectively vindicate her and make it possible to seek compensation for the way that she was treated.
An application to the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario is expected to be heard in approximately three months. The hearing will give her an opportunity to clear her name and obtain justice. As Velma states, " the seizure, stigma and family turmoil that ensues from confining a woman in prison passes down through the generations." At 80 years of age, Velma is anxious to right the wrongs that were perpetrated against her over 60 years ago and to reduce the shame and hurt that time has not erased.
If you would like to get involved with this important cause you may call Velma Demerson at (416) 975-9398. In particular, Velma would be very interested in speaking with any women who may have been sentenced under the Female Refuges Act.
Over the next several issues of the newsletter we will be introducing our readers to the Elizabeth Fry staff who run the many programs that your donations help fund. Our staff consists of 17 full time, and 11 contract, part time, and occasional employees. In this issue of our newsletter we will profile the Community Programs Team. This team provides direct counselling and support services to women in prison, and to women who have been in conflict with the law and now live in the community.
Alma Aiken and Sherrette Thomas - Parenting Program
The E. Fry Parenting Program consists of a weekly group program at the agency,
the Toronto West Detention and the Vanier Centre for Women. Women in this group
struggle with many difficult life situations such as abuse, poverty, and
isolation as well as fighting the stigma of being an incarcerated mother. Alma
and Sherrette share the counselling responsibilities for the Parenting Program.
Alma is presenting covering for parenting counsellor, Linda Brotman, who is on maternity leave. Before Alma came to the agency she worked with the Salvation Army doing counselling and supervision. She also worked with the Canadian Mental Health Association as a group counsellor. She is a graduate of the George Brown College Human Services Counselling course and has a bachelors degree in Theology. Alma also works periodically as a relief counsellor in the E. Fry residence.
Sherrette is also a graduate of the George Brown Human Services course and the George Brown Community Worker course which also includes group facilitating. She has worked at the Woodgreen Family Shelter doing individual and group counselling, and at Fred Victor Housing where she provided housing information for the residents. Sherrette also works on an occasional basis as a relief counsellor in our residence.
Gillian Crawford
Gillian's work with the Elizabeth Fry Society is broken down into three areas.
She visits the West Detention Centre weekly where she acts as an advocate for
the women providing such services as counselling, finding suitable lawyers, and
dealing with institutional issues such as how women are treated at the
institution. Another part of her work involves running the E. Fry's Shoplifting
and Fraud group on a weekly basis. This program has been running successfully
since the early 90s and helps women understand how shoplifting/fraud fits into
their image of themselves and their behaviour. She also provides individual
counselling to women on provincial parole and to women who have been in prison
and are now living in the community. Before coming to E. Fry, Gillian worked
with street youth and with individuals with drug problems who were on federal
parole. She has studied Social Services and Women's Studies and has diplomas in
each.
Laurie Charlton - Drug and Alcohol Program
Laurie joined the agency in 1997 on a short-term contract where she co-
facilitated the Thelma and Louize Harm Reduction Group, one of the agency's Drug
and Alcohol groups. Then in January 1999 she assumed the position of full time
Drug and Alcohol Program worker, providing individual counselling, advocacy,
community outreach and group support. Before completing an M.S.W. degree at the
University of Toronto she volunteered at a number of social service agencies
where she focussed on women and violence issues and women with addictions.
Before turning to social service work, Laurie was a flight attendant.
Martha Arbuthnot - Manager of Community Programs
Martha became involved with E. Fry in 1995 while doing a student placement here
as she worked towards her MSW degree at the University of Toronto. Upon
graduation she began work with the Family Service Association of Toronto working
with senior volunteers. Her earlier work history involved work with children
and families as a child and family therapist including 17 years of counselling
children and youth. Martha's work with E. Fry involves supervising the
Community Programs team, providing counselling to clients, and ongoing program
development.
Eugenia Messner - Diversion Program - College Park Court
The agency's Diversion program began in 1998 and is offered to those who are
first time offenders and have not committed a violent crime. Upon successful
completion of diversion, which may involve making a donation to a charity or
doing community service work, charges are withdrawn. Prior to her position in
this program, Eugenia was the Life Skills Co-ordinator of the agency's Women
Growing Employment Training program. From 1992 to 1996 she helped women in the
criminal justice system learn the necessary skills to help them obtain and
maintain satisfying employment. Prior to her work with E. Fry, Eugenia obtained
a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology from OISE and then did a summer
internship for the UN High Commission for Refugees in Turkey.
Elizabeth Amerongen - Sexual Abuse Program
Elizabeth is the facilitator of the Sexual Abuse Program which consists of two
groups. One group, which started in 1991, is for women who have experienced
sexual abuse in childhood. Elizabeth co-facilitated this group initially and
then became the sole facilitator in 1998. In 1999 she formed the second group
for women who have experienced abuse in the context of cults and ritual abuse.
Women in both groups speak about past experiences which have left confusion and
difficult feelings and are interfering with reaching present day goals. (70
lines total for this section)
Giving Through Our Monthly Giving Plan
The Elizabeth Fry Society reaches out to the community for assistance in many
different ways. One way that you can support our work is through a monthly
donation. This is a painless way of making a donation through either electronic
banking or by Visa or Mastercard. With electronic banking the agreed upon
amount is withdrawn automatically from your bank account at the beginning of
each month. If you choose to donate through your Visa or Mastercard the agreed
upon amount is posted to your card at the beginning of each month. At the end
of the year you will receive a charitable tax receipt for the total amount
donated.
Donors who already give monthly to us tend to be more committed to our organization and stay with us longer. As they are also giving us access to private banking information they are telling us that they trust us and want to be more connected to the Elizabeth Fry Society and the work that we do.
On the back of each pledge card that is sent with the in-house mailings to our supporters, is a Monthly Donor Form which can be filled in and returned in the postage paid business reply envelope that is enclosed. Many people find that they can easily afford a small monthly donation rather than one yearly substantial donation. It also ensures that the agency has an ongoing source of funding each month to help maintain our many programs and services. Thank you for your support.
Rebels for a Cause
Our 8th annual Rebels for a Cause event was again a great
success. Our Rebels this year included Lillian Allen, Jane Doe, Luba Goy, and
Joyce Milgaard. Sensible Footwear, Alex Dallas and Alison Field, kindly agreed
to host the event again this year adding their special humour to an exciting
evening. A record amount of $16,083 was raised for the agency's programs and
services.
Club Z Update
For the last two years many of our supporters have been using E Fry's Community
Card when they purchase goods at Zellers. For every dollar spent at Zellers by
our supporters E. Fry accumulates 100 Club Z points. Our present television is
14 years old and is not working properly. We have been saving our points to
purchase a new television for the educational work that we do at the agency with
clients, staff and volunteers. We need 1.7 million Club Z points for a new TV.
Just recently we were advised that we have 1.5 million points and are,
therefore, close to our goal. We would like to thank all of our supporters who
continue to support E. Fry through the Zeller's Club Z program.
From time to time the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto trades its mailing list with lists of other reputable organizations supportive of our work. Since we lose a certain percentage of our donors each year for a variety of reasons, we trade our list in the hope that we will be able to obtain more names and thus maintain a solid and continuous donor base. The only information we trade is the name and address of our donors. The amount of your donation and any other information remains confidential. However, if you would like your name restricted from our trading list please notify us at 924-3708 ext. 234 and we will remove your name.
Debra Winger was the voice of E.T.
Pearls melt in vinegar.
Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already
married.
It's possible to lead a cow upstairs… but not downstairs.
Humans are the only primates that don't have pigment in the palms of their
hands.
A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the
engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and
figured out how to walk up straight staircases.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history.
Spades - David; Clubs - Alexander the Great; Hearts - Charlemagne; and Diamonds
- Julius Caesar.
Clans of long ago that wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without
killing them used to burn their houses down - hence the expression "to get
fired."
Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like
it's kissing the conveyor belt.
Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
If you put a raisin in a glass of champagne, it will keep floating to the top
and sinking to the bottom.
Snails can sleep for three years without eating.
The fingerprints of koala bears are virtually indistinguishable from those of
humans, so much so that they could be confused at a crime scene.
Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a Friday the 13th.
There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
All of the clocks in the movie "Pulp Fiction" are stuck at 4:20.