Nothing to be Proud of
Does Concordia’s Administration Just Not Care About Sexual Assault Hearings?
Like many Concordia students, alumni and Montrealers, I have watched Concordia administration’s klutzy moves as they learn to do the political equivalent of a backward tango in heels—deal with sexual assault and assault on women in a progressive, victim-centred manner that stops victim-blaming and slut-shaming and refrains from minimizing violence and protecting attackers.
Sometimes, I have been deeply ashamed. And other times, I have been proud.
I lie. I have never been proud.
I was almost proud.
A few days ago, after watching the hearing for “Cathy” turn into a complete disaster and seeing the outrage and anger the choice to delay the hearing inspired in people of all sorts of backgrounds, ages, political stripes, and classes—professors, students, staff—I took the initiative to email President Alan Shepard and VP Palpatine Bram Freedman.
I honestly thought if someone would just explain to them what was wrong, they would understand. I figured some piece of the puzzle must be missing for them, since when I went through the same process as Cathy just 12 and a half years ago, the matter was handled with far more intelligence and logic than this shit show. So, I told them bluntly what the three biggest problems were. And because it’s wrong to complain and offer no solutions, I then told them how to fix it.
I’m not some know-it-all. I’m wrong from time to time. But I had a pretty good idea on how to fix the situation, because as I told them, I was so appalled by Cathy’s story when I read about it last winter that mutual friends of ours hooked us up so I could help her navigate Concordia Bureaucracy.
Considering I’m literally the ONLY person I know who had a good outcome in the Concordia hearings process, it was assumed this was a great idea, and everyone went in all positive that things would turn out well.
So I told them what would solve it, and it was pretty simple, really. It basically involved meeting with Cathy, apologizing for her frustration, telling the accused to stay away from her and to keep his little minions off her back too. Before anyone says “yeah, but…,” this is actually pretty standard stuff in a “so and so says you behaved in a most douchetastic manner, and so we shall have a hearing, but in the meantime you shall refrain from even the appearance of douchebaggery” situation.
Pretty simple.
I stressed that the biggest problem was the perception of collusion. That whether true or not, people perceive that Concordia is patting the accused on the head. Protecting him. I pointed out that cancelling the hearing in particular looks horrible since Concordia is under no obligation to ensure his criminal trial is unbiased. That’s for his lawyer to argue in criminal court. But they are under obligation to ensure a safe learning environment for Cathy. Though you wouldn’t know it.
President Shepard wrote me back, thanked me for my time and concern, and said he’d consult with his colleagues and that he was disturbed by the situation. I slept thinking at least now someone would get it.
Not 16 hours later, Michelle Lalonde of the Gazette told Cathy she’d just spoken to Chris Mota for her article. This is the same article where Ms. Mota helpfully explained for the public record that cancelling the hearing was in no way setting precedence. That it was just a one-time favour on a request.
I don’t mean to doubt Ms. Mota’s intentions, but that’s how precedence is set. Someone comes along and says, “but you did it for this person at this time so it’s not fair if you don’t do it for me too!”
At this point I can’t decide if Concordia’s administration has some seriously out-of-order priorities, or just doesn’t care. I don’t want to believe the latter. Perhaps they just don’t think it’s a big deal to have your university do essentially nothing when you file a complaint about being abused. Security, after all, has declared the accused “not a risk.” Based on what, I’d like to know—because they’ve never told Cathy, despite being repeatedly asked. Is it because he acts like a nice guy? Most abusers do. Otherwise they wouldn’t get partners. Or keep them.
But right now Cathy has had absolutely nothing from the administration other than delays and acquiescence to whatever the man she accused of abusing her has asked for. If that’s the best we can do, we should be ashamed for wasting the committee’s time on that report, because it looks like they need to do it again.
