[OPIRG-EVENTS] WOMAN GOES TO JAIL FOR DEFENDING YOUTH IN GROUP HOMES

["C.Ailes" <cailes1@yahoo.com>]

P R E S S R E L E A S E FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact Jane Scharf-1-613-658-5384 or cell
613-913-7468 
Chris Rayfield: 905 707-0616 
Catherine Cote: 905-576-1205

WOMAN GOES TO JAIL FOR DEFENDING YOUTH IN GROUP HOMES

	Jane Scharf has been fired, sued and now she is going
to jail for defending the rights of minors in the
group home where she worked as a Child and Youth
Worker. 

	Dalhousie Group of Homes South Mountain Unit where
she worked sponsored by several Children's Aid
Societies (CAS) is bringing Scharf to court at Perth
Court House Friday May 24, 2002 at 10:00 am on charges
of contempt of a court order. They are asking the
court to impose a 45 day sentence.

	Scharf who refuses to comply with the court order to
give photo copies of restraint reports and log books
back to the group home that prove improper use of
restraint by the group home staff says, "I am afraid
to go to jail but I am more afraid of what will happen
to these children if I abandon them now."
	
	Scharf believes she is fighting the good fight and
that her persecution will help raise the public's
awareness about the intimidation used by CAS and their
agents to cover-up abuse. This unfettered oppression
by CAS and there agents has left the children in group
homes imperiled. The Ministry of Community and Social
Services refuses to intervene in these matters.
	
	I Chris Rayfield fully support Jane Scharf and her
overall endeavor to expose child abuse of children in
care. As a former employee of Catholic Children's Aid
Society who was fired after reporting abuse of
children in their care and subsequently arrested and
persecuted for reporting this abuse I can fully attest
to the child abuse and cover-up carried out by the
very people who are responsible for the care and well
being of this most innocent and vulnerable segment of
our society. Through my contacts over the last 2
years, 8 months of my struggle for justice for these
children, I have become fully aware that this type of
malevolent behaviour towards children is prevalent.
	
	Catherine Cote, spokes person for Voices of Children
Alliance says, (VOCA) we have scores of persons who
have contacted our group who have reported that they
have been intimidated by the criminal justice system
when they report abuse by Children's Aid Society or
their agents. For example Jo-an Samuels, mother of two
children in the care of Children's Aid Society was
falsely arrested but acquitted for Federal Kidnapping
and assault after she reported to CAS that her child
was being beaten by a belt by persons in the foster
home CAS placed her in.
	
	Two children have died by restraint in group homes in
the past two years. This risk of death and serious
injury to children in care is increased when staff are
intimidated from reporting abuse such as Jane, Chris
and Jo-an have done. In all three cases the
authorities refused to act on the complaints of abuse
in spite of overwhelming evidence and instead turned
on those reporting the abuse in an effort to silence
them. 

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience
http://launch.yahoo.com
-
This is the OPIRG-events@ox.org list. Announcement only please.
To unsubscribe, send email to opirg-events-request@ox.org, and put
"unsubscribe" in the body.
Archive at: http://www.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/lists/html/opirg-events/