d) 12 Year Old Girl Convicted of Sexual Assault

In April 2001, a 12 year old girl was convicted of sexual assault in relation to experimentation activities that occurred between her and two of her close friends. The young woman who was charged and convicted of sexual assault, had just turned 12 years of age, whereas her two friends were still 11 years old, not having achieved their 12th birthdays at the time of the incidents. The conviction surprised many, as the behaviour which resulted in her being labelled a "sex offender" has been described by many as within the bounds of juvenile experimentation. This young woman's appeal of her conviction for sexual assault is currently still pending.

e) Lauzon Inquest

CAEFS' Executive Director testified as an expert witness in the Lauzon inquest. The Council of Elizabeth Fry Societies of Ontario (CEFSO) had standing at the inquest and it was via their involvement that both Dr. Jan Heney, a psychologist who previously worked at the Prison for Women in Kingston and who specializes in women's self-injurious and suicidal behaviours, and the Executive Director of CAEFS testified regarding systemic issues that contributed to the death of a 21 year old young woman who had been charged and remanded in custody for the first time in her life. The entire matter exemplified so many of the issues that we have to address in terms of correctional dysfunction.

2. Regional and National Advocacy

a) Cross-Gender Staffing

The Correctional Service of Canada recently released the final report of the Cross Gender Monitors' Report. Based upon their three years of examining the situation of men working in the federal women's prisons, the Monitors made a number of recommendations in their final report, including that men should not be employed to work in a front-line capacity with women in prison.

The position of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies is very clearly that there are legitimate reasons to require that only women be employed as primary workers in women's prisons. It is CAEFS' view that the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules on the Treatment of Prisoners represent a minimum standard to which Canada must comply. It is also the view of CAEFS that the rationale of the Correctional Service of Canada that placing man in these positions provides a normative environment for women in prison is ridiculous in the extreme.

It has long been recognized that, given the long histories of physical and/or sexual abuse, as well as the reality that women prisoners are subject to conditions of confinement that do not represent community norms or standards of living prior to or upon their release from incarceration As such, the normalizing arguments fail to take into account the severe limitations on freedom that occasion a prison sentence and plus the absence of opportunities for women who are at risk to access formal assistance. Barring other economic, social and fear limitations, women in the community who are not subject to judicial sanction are able to choose whether to stay or leave a battering or abusive relationship.