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"The field is not going in one direction; some
people treat juvenile offenders as adults, but
you cannot take theories concerning adults
and apply them to kids," she said.

Participants in the day-long seminar included
several law enforcement officials, social workers
and others involved in the field but also present
were several students and a woman who's
daughter had been molested.

John Braithwaite, a Ministry of Human Resources
social worker, said the course would help him
deal with the victims of sexual abuse that come
through his office.

"It will definitely help me in understanding the
perspective of the victim,” he said, "and I may
be able to identify the occasional offender."

Chris Dabrowski and Blair Marshall, youth
counsellors with the "Door" program in Whalley,
said the course will help them deal with street-
wise kids who may have been victims of sexual
abuse.

"The people we deal with are very street-wise
and it takes a lot of time to build up a trust,"
said Dabrowski. "They just don't spill it out
the first time you ask."

"| thought it [the seminar] was an interesting
approach," said Dabrowski. "It made me think

of things I never thought of before. You just don't
think of juveniles as sexual offenders. They are
usually perceived to be the victims," he said.

"The media tends to reinforce the image of the .
adult sexual offender," said Dabrowski. "I think
we're all victims of that sort of media hype."

Constable Janice Fisher of the Richmond detach-
ment of the R.C.M.P. said the course will help
her in dealing with both victim and offender.

"I want to be more effective with the victims and
helping with the trauma," said Fisher. "This
seminar is something that would help me deal
with the victims and help in my investigations."

 

 

_ everyone involved in the field.

MAD HATTER 3

 

Message To Everyone Involved

Monastersky encourages the inter-group cooper-
ation of the various agencies involved with
juvenile sexual offenders, both public and private.

She wound up the seminar with a message to

"Sexual assault is a burn-out field," said
Monastersky. "You have to keep your humor up.
And you have to watch that you don't confuse
the context with the content."

"There is a lot of moral, ethical and professional
issues involved with treatment of juvenile sexual
offense," said Monastersky. "You must remember
that your client is also the victim. We must
educate people in our own lives as to acceptable
sexual behaviour."

- DOUGLAS COLLEGE NEWS SERVICES

 

All Faculty, Staff & Personnel

Beginning from May 1 to September 2 the
Mad Hatter will be printed twice monthly -
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Issue Date: Deadline:

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September 2 Tuesday, August 26

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Mad Hatter on May 6, 1986.

Colleen Tosin