Church hires sex offneder to supervise night shift at shelter
In the [down town east side], crap flies in all directions, from all corners, illustrated Thursday with this appalling news, from Vancouver Province reporter Suzanne Fournier: A long-standing service provider in the neighbourhood - First United Church, which operates as a low-barrier homeless shelter at East Hastings and Gore streets - has knowingly hired a man convicted last year of committing an indecent act in public.
Brian Hutchinson Sep 15, 2011 - 6:20 PM ET | Last Updated: Sep 15, 2011 6:28 PM ET
All of the problems in Vancouver’s drug infested Downtown Eastside are caused by addicts and pushers, prostitutes, pimps and johns. Right? Finding solutions would be so much simpler were that the case, but it’s not. In the DTES, crap flies in all directions, from all corners, illustrated Thursday with this appalling news, from Vancouver Province reporter Suzanne Fournier: A long-standing service provider in the neighbourhood - First United Church, which operates as a low-barrier homeless shelter at East Hastings and Gore streets - has knowingly hired a man convicted last year of committing an indecent act in public.
In October, Tajinder Singh “Ricky” Gill was found guilty of exposing himself to a female driver as he sat in his own vehicle. He openly masturbated and followed the woman. That’s disturbing. As part of his sentence, Gill was ordered to undergo sex-offender treatment.
He’s now night shift supervisor at the First United shelter.
“We took very careful note of the official judgement in which it was clearly stated that he posed no threat to vulnerable people - specifically children and youth,” a church spokesman told The Province. Great. So the kids are safe, according to the church. But what about a homeless woman sleeping one off inside the church sanctuary?
This is the same church where sexual assaults were reported and investigated by the Vancouver police last year. Three charges were laid. Another man was arrested in February after allegedly assaulting a woman at First United.
In response, First United Reverend Ric Matthews told The Province that “some women put themselves at risk because of the way they dress or undress or move around the building, they draw attention to themselves.” He said later that his statement was taken out of context.
First United has ambitions. It wants to replace its aging church with a $31 million housing project. Project imperatives, according to Rev. Matthews, include recognition “that homelessness is about belonging and ‘feeling at home,’” and providing “housing that spans the whole spectrum - a place of refuge for those most angry and distrustful of society.”
Hiring an offender such as Gill might be the forgiving, Christian thing to do, but it’s not going to spread trust among the clientele, or make them feel at home. There’s a problem at the corner of East Hastings and Gore, alright, but the usual suspects aren’t involved.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/09/15/brian-hutchinson-vancouver-church-hires-sex-offender-to-supervise-homeless-shelter/
JFC
Brian Hutchinson Sep 15, 2011 - 6:20 PM ET | Last Updated: Sep 15, 2011 6:28 PM ET
All of the problems in Vancouver’s drug infested Downtown Eastside are caused by addicts and pushers, prostitutes, pimps and johns. Right? Finding solutions would be so much simpler were that the case, but it’s not. In the DTES, crap flies in all directions, from all corners, illustrated Thursday with this appalling news, from Vancouver Province reporter Suzanne Fournier: A long-standing service provider in the neighbourhood - First United Church, which operates as a low-barrier homeless shelter at East Hastings and Gore streets - has knowingly hired a man convicted last year of committing an indecent act in public.
In October, Tajinder Singh “Ricky” Gill was found guilty of exposing himself to a female driver as he sat in his own vehicle. He openly masturbated and followed the woman. That’s disturbing. As part of his sentence, Gill was ordered to undergo sex-offender treatment.
He’s now night shift supervisor at the First United shelter.
“We took very careful note of the official judgement in which it was clearly stated that he posed no threat to vulnerable people - specifically children and youth,” a church spokesman told The Province. Great. So the kids are safe, according to the church. But what about a homeless woman sleeping one off inside the church sanctuary?
This is the same church where sexual assaults were reported and investigated by the Vancouver police last year. Three charges were laid. Another man was arrested in February after allegedly assaulting a woman at First United.
In response, First United Reverend Ric Matthews told The Province that “some women put themselves at risk because of the way they dress or undress or move around the building, they draw attention to themselves.” He said later that his statement was taken out of context.
First United has ambitions. It wants to replace its aging church with a $31 million housing project. Project imperatives, according to Rev. Matthews, include recognition “that homelessness is about belonging and ‘feeling at home,’” and providing “housing that spans the whole spectrum - a place of refuge for those most angry and distrustful of society.”
Hiring an offender such as Gill might be the forgiving, Christian thing to do, but it’s not going to spread trust among the clientele, or make them feel at home. There’s a problem at the corner of East Hastings and Gore, alright, but the usual suspects aren’t involved.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/09/15/brian-hutchinson-vancouver-church-hires-sex-offender-to-supervise-homeless-shelter/
JFC