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Right to housing Charter challenge is opposed by governments

June 6th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Right to housing Charter challenge is opposed by governments)

Lawyers for homeless and inadequately housed Ontarians have appeared in Ontario Superior Court of Justice to argue against a government motion to strike their landmark legal challenge

picture 481In the spring of 2010, several individuals and the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation filed a landmark legal challenge at the Ontario Superior Court. The ‘Right to Housing challenge’ argues that the governments of Canada and Ontario are in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for their failure to address, and their contribution to, the growing crisis of homelessness and inadequate housing. (more…)

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Growing numbers of elderly people are homeless in Victoria

June 6th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Growing numbers of elderly people are homeless in Victoria)

Seniors homelessness is on the rise in Greater Victoria—prompting a call for more age-appropriate housing

picture 482A change is being seen among homeless people in Victoria, British Columbia. Alan Rycroft, a spokesperson for the Victoria Cool Aid Society, told MetroNews, “In our shelter system, we’ve been watching the ages climb and we also see it in our intake for supportive housing.” Andrew Wynn-Williams, executive director of the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, told MetroNews that it’s a matter of demographics: “We have an aging population, and that will impact on the homeless population as well.” (more…)

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Youth hold first LGBTQ pride parade in ‘Bible belt’ city

May 30th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Youth hold first LGBTQ pride parade in ‘Bible belt’ city)

More than 500 people, including newly elected MLA Darryl Plecas and Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman, show support for an expanded “Walk Away From Homophobia” event

picture 479More than 500 people took part in the Fraser Valley’s first Pride parade on May 25, 2013 — a turnout that its Abbotsford organizers celebrated as larger than expected.  “We did not anticipate this big of a turnout!” co-organizer Cherese Reemaul told Xtra before taking the stage to address participants. “I’m a little bit overwhelmed.” (more…)

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LGBTQ youth face significant challenges

May 30th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on LGBTQ youth face significant challenges)

LGBTQ youth experience health inequities, mostly attributable to societal stigma and marginalization and its related risks of rejection and violence, as well as lower social supports

picture 480Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth have well-documented health inequities, mostly attributable to societal stigma and marginalization and its related risks of rejection and violence, as well as lower social support. These health inequities include higher rates of mental health problems, including suicidality, sexual health issues, including STIs and teen pregnancy involvement, problem substance use, injuries, and foregone health care. They are more likely to become homeless, and face discrimination in education, employment, and housing. (source: Elizabeth Saewyc, PhD , RN, FSAHM) (more…)

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Psychiatry, the DSM, and human rights

May 23rd, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Psychiatry, the DSM, and human rights)

Law Project for Psychiatric Rights is one of several activist groups charging that the American Psychiatric Association is committing serious human rights abuses

picture 477The 2013 annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) was held in San Francisco from May 17 to 22. While delegates gathered inside the Moscone Center for what the APA called “the psychiatry event of the year” a small group of protesters gathered outside. SF Weekly reports that the group coalesced under the banner “Occupy Psychiatry”—or “Occupy the APA”. This year’s APA annual meeting has attracted significant attention due to the release, at the meeting, of the 5th edition of the APA’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (called the DSM for short, and sometimes referred to as the “bible” of psychiatry). (more…)

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Subjected to shock therapy as a child, survivor went on to champion human rights

May 23rd, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Subjected to shock therapy as a child, survivor went on to champion human rights)

“It made me want to die … I remember that they would stick a rag in my mouth so I wouldn’t bite through my tongue and that it took three attendants to hold me down”

picture 478Ted Chabasinski is an American psychiatric survivor, human rights activist and attorney who lives in Berkeley, California. At the age of six he was taken from his foster family’s home and committed to a New York psychiatric facility. Diagnosed with childhood schizophrenia he underwent intensive electroshock therapy (now termed electroconvulsive therapy or ECT) and remained an inmate in a state psychiatric hospital until the age of seventeen. He subsequently trained as a lawyer and became active in the psychiatric survivors movement. In 1982 he led a successful campaign seeking to ban the use of electroshock in Berkeley, California. (source: Wikipedia) (more…)

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