To the editor:
There has been much discussion recently sparked by media coverage of another local shelter facility offering refuge to transgender women.
We at Kelowna Women’s Shelter are committed to providing safety and support to women and their children who have experienced intimate partner violence.
Caring for women in a shelter setting, which usually involves some level of communal living, can be difficult at the best of times. When the need in the community is overwhelming, bed space is limited (we have space for 16 but often exceed that number), and clients bring with them a range of complex physical and emotional issues, it makes the notion of working for the greater good especially complicated and nuanced.
Each potential resident, and her needs, must be assessed individually in order to ensure the best course of action is taken for all concerned, and I commend the passionate and skilled staff at all our local shelters for their daily efforts to protect and nurture women in need.
It’s important to note, on this topic in particular, not only are transgender women more at risk of abuse (one in two will experience abuse or sexual assault in their lifetime), but the BC Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender identity or expression.
At Kelowna Women’s Shelter, we believe all women have the right to a life free of harassment and abuse, and we commit to the community we will continue fighting for that.
Karen Mason, Executive Director, Kelowna Women’s Shelter