UBCAccountable, Stop Making Our Work Harder

As a new hire and an Aboriginal female, I have to ask" How far would I get with 'I had an affair with a student'? And would I get compensation?

I am signing because I worry about the impact the UBC accountable open letter is and will have, due to its influential signatories, on this country's academic and literary culture. I worry that the open letter's most lasting impact will be for women who experience abuse, assault and, or harassment at a university or in the larger world of writing and publishing, to feel that it is best to be quiet, as there are is a powerful group of writers invested in protecting, first and foremost, their own. This is a potential impact of the letter, which I don't believe is the signatories intention but the effect, not the intent, is what ultimately matters.

The act os sexual assault takes away a choice from the victim in a violent act. So the least that can be done is to respect their choice in coming forward, or reporting to the police.

I meant the Open Letter mentions the ACCUSED 12 times (obviously) while claiming to be fair to both sides. If person running the petition wishes to correct that on my behalf please feel free. Doesn't appear to be an edit option. Thanks.

I fully agree, both as a survivor and as someone who has worked with both faculty and university students for 10 years now. The Open Letter has only served to intimidate complainants both past and future anywhere in Canada and mentions the complainant 12 times, even in its title, while its signatories still insist it is about due process 'for all'. It is, as this letter states, THE reason this case has become a public trial on social media and in public discussion across the country. And the harm it causes outweighs enormously the benefit served only perhaps to the egos of the #Canlit elite (and others) who have signed it and the accused. It's absolutely shameful.

This: "It should be understood by writers and signers that attempting to influence an open case, demanding protected private information and identifiers, while circulating potential misinformation in mass media forums, is irresponsible and dangerous. While we deeply respect the work of those who signed this letter and understand they intended to lobby for a fair and transparent process, we hope that they might consider the impact of their actions on all those involved, not simply the accused."

I support the work of those working compassionately with victims and to end violence against women.

Not only does the letter show a lack of knowledge and interest in law, it shows a lack of knowledge and interest in union processes and labour relations. Galloway was afforded an external review, flawed as UBCs handling of it may have been. Galloway is not the victim here. Atwood is certainly not a victim nor is Boyden. They are merely people with a platform who are very publicly finding out that yes, your friend can be both a beautiful writer and a rapist.

In solidarity.

The original letter was poorly written and poorly conceived. It was not helpful and, in a weird way, it was not designed to be helpful.

I am sincerely disappointed in every CanLit author who signed this letter.

I believe very strongly that the UBC Accountable letter silenced and ignored the women involved in the case, and that it has had a chilling effect on young writers in Canada when they see their literary heroes do such a thing. I know that many signers want to send out a message of support for the women. I want to believe many of them did not realize what signing that letter would mean. Please withdraw the letter. Start again. Respect survivors. I believe them.

I sign because it is difficult, even dangerous, for victims to come forward in this system. The so-called "UBC Accountable" folks should know that, and work to make it safer for Canadians to confront gender-based violence and harassment.

It's high time we started looking critically at the issues that are distinctively complex in sexual assault cases instead of trusting that a system that has repeatedly failed will correct itself.

I share Natalee Caple's concern of the impact of the Open Letter in setting a precedent for lobbying in high profile sexual violence cases. The implications are likely to unfold slowly over decades in preditable and unpredictable ways. It needs to come down.

I appreciate the framing of this Open Letter and thank the framers for their clarity. Due process must extend to complainants. The grievance process will unfold recognizing the interests of the complainants as well as thiose of the university and the faculty association which is compelled to mount a defence of their member.

I've been very disappointed with how this situation has unfolded. Let's stand up for victims. Let's find a better way forward.

I am hoping UBCaccountable listens rather than launching yet another ill-advised attack.

Regardless of where you fall on this case -- the precedent this Open letter and the fallout from it sets for public lobbying around well known individuals (whatever side they are on) is dangerous. This is not in the interest of complainants or respondents.