Women in most parts of Canada
will soon be able to access emergency contraception over the counter. The
Canadian National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities recently decided
that the drug known by its brand name “Plan B” will be available to women without
having first to consult a pharmacist.
Emergency contraception is already available without a prescription -- but
now women should be able to access it as easily as cold medication. It is hoped that this will mean more
women will have access to emergency contraception as an option when faced with an unwanted pregnancy; which will hopefully reduce the number of
abortions, as well. Women in Quebec, however, will
not be able to access the drug without first consulting a pharmacist as it has
not been approved for over the counter sale in that province.
I applaud this move as it will
mean that more women will be able to access the drug and also have more control
over their bodies. In the past there
have been instances, especially in the United States, of women being denied the
drug by anti-choice pharmacists who believe that the drug can induce an
abortion. This is completely false as emergency
contraception can only prevent pregnancy, but does nothing to an already
established pregnancy.
It is interesting to note that the drug will not have the same status in Quebec. It once again shows the discrepancy in accessing reproductive health services across Canada. As I have discussed in my blogs before, the lack of centralized health care policy means that there is uneven access to necessary services such as abortion services, and in this case access to drugs. Hopefully this will not be the case for too much longer for the women of Quebec who deserve the same access as women in other parts of Canada.
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Growing up I attended Catholic school and went to church occasionally with my parents. I remember that our sexual education in junior high was to copy down the “Hail Mary”; we were instructed to recite it when we had "impure" thoughts. We were told that we would be punished for masturbating and recruited to participate in Right to Life marches. I remember vividly a conversation with our high school chaplain about abortion, and how I felt that under certain circumstances a woman should have the right to choose (I now feel that no matter the circumstance, the woman has the right to choose). Obviously he did not agree and I got an earful about the importance of life and the sacredness of sex. Meanwhile, half my friends were losing their virginity (or at least trying to) and we were not educated about contraception or at the very least about how not to feel pressured into having sex.
I occasionally reflect on why I left the church and now consider myself an ex-Catholic. As many former members of the church would agree, the church needs to modernize. Their stance on sexuality is no longer just laughable -- it is costing men and women their lives all over the world. Preaching against the use of contraception leaves people vulnerable to disease and unwanted pregnancies. I also do not support the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality. The teachings of the early church were to love everyone, and accept people for who they are, not to turn your back on people may have a different sexuality than you. The stance of the church on women’s rights and their role in the family is also exasperating.
People do a lot of strange things in the name of God, Catholic or not. My parents come from South America, where the church still wields a great deal of power over national policies. For example, recently in Chile the Constitutional Court halted a national program that distributed free emergency contraception to women as young as fourteen due to pressure from politicians who claimed that “emergency contraception constitutes abortion." Abortion in Chile is illegal under all circumstances. Enough propaganda and myths have been propagated by the church about emergency contraception that they are still believed.
It’s time for Catholics to take back their religion and make the changes necessary to keep progressive people like myself in the church. We are all looking for a sense of community and somewhere to belong, but I won’t belong to a church that believes that I have no rights.
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About a year ago, the news-weekly Macleans, devoted an issue to examining what they termed the “new glass ceiling” for women – motherhood. In Canada a woman who qualifies for maternity benefits is entitled to 15 weeks of paid leave from her job. Additionally another 35 weeks of paternal leave can be taken by either the mother or father, or can be split by the parents. But this is only offered to those who have have worked 600 hours in the past 52 weeks, meaning that a woman who becomes pregnant with a second child without going back to work between pregnancies is not entitled to the same benefits. The amount paid out by the federal government is a percentage of the claimant’s salary with the possibility that his/her employer will “top up” or pay the remaining amount to allow a full salary to be earned during this time. Parents who choose to adopt are eligible for similar benefits as well. It also offers some sense of job security as individuals leaving their job on parental or maternity leave are entitled to return to their positions at the end of their leave.
So what does all of this mean for Canada? Our fertility rate is still dropping despite the fact that these maternity and parental leaves are in place. Many women still delay their first pregnancies because they feel that they should first concentrate on their careers before launching into motherhood. The situation is obviously much better than it was when my mother gave birth to me, but compared to some other countries around the world, Canada is not doing enough to encourage women to have children.
Although I believe that motherhood should be a choice, it is not a choice when a woman who would like to have kids can not because she feels that she is not in a position to do so. In parts of Europe, where the fertility rate has plunged in recent years, governments have come up with new policies to encourage couples to reproduce. In France, for example, the benefits extended to new parents include simultaneous parental leave for both parents, a housekeeper who is dispatched to your home for the first weeks of parenthood to help with household chores, and most importantly affordable child care when parents are ready to go back to work.
There has been talk in Canada about creating a national child care system. However, this was essentially killed by the governing Conservative party which, instead, brought in a "Child Care Benefit" through which parents are entitled to $100 a month - or $1200 a year - in child care benefits.
Are you kidding me?!
A hundred dollars barely covers my monthly bus pass, let alone child care. Daily rates begin at $40 here in Ottawa, recently voted one of the most affordable cities to live in Canada. In the province of Quebec, where social services are much more comprehensive, child care is subsidized by the provincial government and therefore much more affordable. Unfortunately, the demand exceeds the supply of qualified child care facilities.
When it comes to motherhood, Canada may offer some benefits and social programs that American mothers envy, but still not enough to make having children accessible to all women.
]]>The lack of trained abortion providers in Canada is huge problem and is keeping women in our country from accessing adequate sexual and reproductive health services. Trained medical staff is already in high demand around the country, meaning that abortion providers are hard to come by in some areas. One of the causes of lack of providers is the fact that new doctors are not being trained on the procedure. When you consider that up to 40% of women will have an abortion during their life time, it is astonishing that the abortion procedure is not required to be taught in any medical school curricula. In fact in a study conducted by Medical Students for Choice, 40% of 50 schools that they surveyed “do not teach any aspect of abortion in the pre-clinical years.”
So what is deterring young doctors from providing abortion services? One of the main obstacles is the fear and intimidation that anti-choice groups inflict upon doctors that do provide the procedure. In the past abortion providers have been targets of physical attacks and death threats. Abortion in Canada is still susceptible to stigma in Canada and many physicians feel the need to keep their services private for their own safety and the safety of their family.
Another major factor is that medical schools are simply not covering the subject in their lectures. Students that are interested in knowing and learning about the procedure must take it upon themselves to seek out an existing abortion provider that will teach them and supervise while they learn the procedure. Medical students need to witness and be involved in 50 abortion procedures shadowing a physician who is already a provider before they are allowed to perform the procedure themselves. I once heard a young female doctor speak at an event that I attended and she detailed how students in her class feel that abortion is no longer an issue that needs to be fought for. They are under the same belief as are many other Canadians, that a women’s right to an abortion in our country is a guarantee. This is simply not true! Without properly trained doctors, compassionate medical staff, and adequate facilities, women in Canada are not able to access the abortion services that they need.
]]>To date the bill has passed two readings in the Canadian parliament, and is one reading away from being passed into law. Now for those of you unfamiliar with Canadian politics, this does not mean that it will be proclaimed into law right away, as our senate would still have to review it and has the power to reject the bill, or send it back to the House of Commons for further debate. However, this rarely happens so the law is closer to being passed than we would like to think. It wouldn’t mean an immediate end to legalized abortions in Canada, but it would be a huge boost to the anti-choice movement in helping to recognize a fetus as an individual with rights. The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada recently released a document detailing exactly how dangerous “unborn victim” laws are by using the United States as an example.
Many states have passed fetal rights legislation to the detriment of women in the country. They detail how such laws have nothing to do with protecting pregnant women from violence, but rather policing the behaviour of pregnant women. It seems recently that the anti-choice movement in Canada is becoming more vocal, and is able to push their agenda without really creating too much of a fuss. I will continue to follow this bill and publish updates as they become available.
]]>I chose to focus on this issue, because I myself was shocked that a doctor would refuse to perform what I believe is a routine medical procedure, certainly part of my yearly physical, on religious grounds. Frankly, there are no religious arguments that in my mind can excuse a doctor who is charged with the overall well-being of their patient from refusing to perform a pap smear. Cancer happens, whether you have sex or not, so to tell a young woman that she is too young, or doesn't need to worry about it, puts her life at risk. Pap smears save lives and no amount of moral policing is going to change my mind.
Did my piece blow the problem out of proportion? That all depends on who you ask. I don’t think the cases Peggy Cooke reported are isolated; I think that this is happening all of the time and women are just accepting it. Why did I choose to write about pap smear refusal? Because I think that it is really just an affirmation of what we all know to be true: that women’s access to unbiased, medically-sound reproductive health care in Canada is being compromised by doctors hiding behind conscience clauses to refuse services and referrals because those services and referrals "go against their beliefs.” Referrals, even when they are given, are often not enough. Canada struggles with doctor shortages; this means that some women simply cannot pick up and find another physician if one denies her critical services.
The very fact that women have to rely on gatekeepers for their physical well-being is astonishing. Men don’t have the same problems: their form of contraception, condoms, can be bought without a prescription and without a physical check-up.
Finally, I think that discussing issues such as this one shows us that we can no longer sit back complacently and tell ourselves that our system is working. Yes, it does work, but there are cracks, and the longer we let them develop, the harder it will be to repair them. From not getting pap smears, to being told you are too young (or too old) to have sex, an array of warning signs suggest that we need to demand comprehensive medical treatment that is unbiased and without judgement.
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In her essay detailing her experience as an abortion clinic patient escort, she writes, “I have two close friends whose doctors will not even give them pap tests because it goes against the doctor’s religious beliefs.” Peggy lives in New Brunswick, one of the most repressive provinces in terms of reproductive policy. The provincial government continues to violate the Canada Health Act, by requiring women to seek approval from a doctor and a gynecologist in order to access publicly funded abortions. Abortions done at the private Morgentaler clinic are not funded.
I contacted Peggy to learn more about what was going on with the doctors refusing to perform pap smears and she responded by saying that in one case it is actually the doctor's receptionist who won't allow her young unmarried friend to make an appointment for a pap smear saying that she is too young and doesn't need one (she was 19 at the time of the incident). The second instance deals with a couple who are doctors, who run a practice together. Known for their religious and anti-choice beliefs, these doctors will not prescribe contraception. The doctor who refused to perform the pap smear works in the same practice.
So when did a test that is used to screen for disease and cancer suddenly become a procedure which doctors can “object” to do? Am I naïve in thinking that pap smears are a medically necessary part of a women’s yearly physical? I wonder if the same doctors refuse men prostate exams on religious grounds, or does morality only apply to women?
To look for answers, I turned to Patricia LaRue, Executive Director at Canadians for Choice, to see what she could tell me if doctors have the right to refuse ANY procedure that they see as going against their religion. She reminded me that doctors have a "conscience clause," allowing them to refuse prescriptions for birth control, abortion, and now pap smears. The conscience clause is put in place by the Canadian Medical Association so that physicians are not forced to act in any way that goes against their personal beliefs.
However, doctors are also bound by a Code of Ethics to "inform your patient when your personal values would influence the recommendation or practice of any medical procedure that the patient needs or wants." In New Brunswick, the doctor shortage means that young unmarried women simply cannot find a doctor who would give them the services that they request, because there are no other doctors to choose from.
Legally, doctors who use the conscience clause are required to give a referral to a doctor that will perform the procedure that they themselves refuse to do. In real life, however, this seldom transpires. Many doctors feel a "conscientious objection" not only to the procedure but to the referral, and do not refer, claiming they can not in good conscience refer a patient for a procedure that they object to. Many women never report these doctors because they are already in a vulnerable position and fear the stigma attached to reporting doctors for refusing sexual and reproductive health procedures.
So it seems that religious objections and morality policing have moved beyond the realm of abortion and contraception, and have moved into regulating the kind of tests that women can access that may in fact save her from cancer. In Canada we pride ourselves on "universal healthcare," but to access that health care, it seems that you must fit into your doctor's classification of the "normal."
For more information on pap smears visit this page.
Postscript
In my last post, I wrote about the website www.AbortionInCanada.ca, an anti-choice site "marking the twentieth anniversary of legal abortion in Canada" and asking whether abortion provision in Canada has "gone too far." It seems that this group has been targeting youth by creating an “event” on facebook to discuss the twentieth anniversary of the legalization of abortion in Canada. It came to my attention when my youngest sister, who is 16, virtually attended this event. When I went on the page dedicated to the event I found a very slick anti-choice group dedicated to spreading the myths surrounding abortion. The sad part of this group is that they do not allow for postings on their “wall,” or else I would have posted some information to dispel the myths. This is the same group that claims that “In Canada women can have 9-month abortions.” When I asked my sister about it she answered that she didn’t read in-depth the invitation that was sent to her about the group, but that because it talked about the anniversary of the legalization of abortion, and there was no blatant anti-choice propaganda on the invitation, she joined. It makes me wonder how many other youth joined the group not knowing the truth, and read the lies on this posted on this site.
According to the group LifeCanada, it means only to educate the public about the dangers of having no abortion legislation in Canada. On Monday January 28th, Canada will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ground-breaking Morgentaler decision, which removed abortion from the Criminal Code. Since then Canada has had no legislation that restricts abortion; however, access to abortion services is still limited across the country. As the pro-choice movement comes together to remember this victory, and to discuss what work still needs to be done, the anti-choice side has decided that a more abrasive campaign was needed to make Canadians aware of how abortion is affecting the country.
The LifeCanada website, www.AbortionInCanada.ca, has been disguised as a “neutral” site aimed at helping women through crisis pregnancies. They even quote statistics by the pro-choice organization, the Guttmacher Institute. Once you start navigating through the site it becomes evident that the site is dedicated to propagating myths surrounding abortion. It even has a crisis line for pregnant women to call -- but I am guessing that callers will not get the unbiased support of whoever is on the other end of the line.
There needs to be accountability in Canada when a group decides to disseminate inaccurate information about an issue as controversial as abortion. In Hamilton, Ontario, where the ads were pulled, the Mayor and Counsellor responsible for the move said that there had been very little feedback from the pro-choice community. This means that we need to take a moment and support actions such as these to ensure that our voices are heard. If we do not then an assumption will be made that in fact the public is sympathetic to these groups’ actions, and in the future similar ads may not be taken down.
If you live in Canada and would like to lodge a complaint about these ads in your city, contact your municipal government such as your mayor, or local counsellor or lodge a complaint with Advertising Standards Canada at: http://www.adstandards.com/en/consumerSite/howToSubmitAComplaint.asp
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Many pro-choice supporters know very well that this is a dangerous road to go down, obviously; it opens up the debate of fetal life, and the rights of the unborn. In the United States, several states have already passed legislation that makes it legal to charge a suspect for two separate deaths when a pregnant woman has been murdered. The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, has released Talking Points Against the Unborn Victims Act, that proves that bills such as the one introduced in Canada do nothing to protect women from violence, and serve only to limit women’s freedoms and punish women for behavior that may be deemed to “endanger” the fetus.
The most worrying part of the bill is that no discussion whatsoever has taken place to discuss why so many pregnant women are dying at the hands of an intimate partner. Instead of addressing the causes of domestic violence and how we can help eliminate such practices, we are being told that the real problem is the fact that perpetrators are not being charged with two murders. Recently in Calgary, Alberta women were being turned away from shelters because they were running at capacity, proving only that the problem of domestic abuse is not being addressed.
Furthermore I would argue that the real problem of women’s inequality is still not being addressed, and has in fact been completely ignored by the Government of Canada. Once the Conservative party took power almost two years ago, one of their first acts was to get rid of a federal government ministry which focused on women’s issues. Citing the need to cut expenditures, the Conservative party did away with Status of Women, without blinking an eye. This proves to me that there is little awareness in either government of in Canadian society of the inequalities that women still face today.
So as we begin another year there is still work to be done to ensure that the sexual and reproductive rights of all Canadians are being respected. All too often these rights are being taken for granted by many of us here in Canada without giving a second thought to the work being done by the anti-choice movement to undermine these rights. Abortion and women’s rights are only two areas where the anti-choice movement is gaining ground, the issue of same-sex marriage and equal rights for gays, lesbians, and transgender people are also being attacked under the guise of freedom of religion. My hope for 2008 is that we become a more accepting society here in Canada and that we do not give into social conservatives who are working towards a much different goal.
]]>Here in Canada there are a number of issues that are going to come up in the new year in regards to sexual and reproductive health and rights. The first being an issue that I discussed in my last posting -- and that is the Unborn Victims of Violence Bill that will once again be debated in Canada's House of Commons. Support from the pro-choice side is strong, but fighting the anti-choice agenda will be difficult. A well organized and vocal opposition to abortion has started to take root in Canada and with the upcoming anniversary of the Morgentaler decision; pro-choice activists will have their work cut out for them. The landmark case that did away with abortion laws under the Canada Criminal Code will come upon its 20th anniversary, but there are still some that would like to see Canada introduce stricter abortion laws including criminal charges against women who seek abortions and doctors who perform them.
In the weeks coming up I suspect that we will all see a lot of attention surrounding the Morgentaler anniversary with anti-choice spokespeople coming out of the woodwork to denounce the ruling. However we must remember that it is as important as ever to protect the right of women in Canada to be able to make their own choices when it comes to their bodies. We have made a lot of progress in the last two decades but work still needs to be done to ensure that every woman across Canada has equal access to abortion services. I hope that all Canadians remember how lucky we are to live here under a Charter that guarantees our rights and freedoms, may 2008 be a year of achievements and milestones!
Related Posts
What made the article all the more disturbing is that the article originated in Canada, a country where abortion has been legal for almost 30 years, and where abortion has been available on demand, without being subjected to legislative restrictions since 1988, when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the abortion law in the landmark case of Dr. Henry Morgentaler. Or maybe it is not as surprising as I want to think it is given that access to abortion has been slowly dwindling in Canada, as only 15.9% of hospitals across the county offer abortion services.
But fundamentally I have to ask myself why anyone would want to jail a woman for having an abortion. I understand that we all have different beliefs, some of us religious, some of us not, but in the end allowing women to have autonomy over their own bodies is a question of equality. It is easy for anti-choice people to make the argument about life, and when it starts, but no women who has an abortion goes into the decision lightly. Obviously there are circumstances in her life into which she feels a child should not be brought. What would jailing women accomplish? It certainly wouldn’t be a deterrent for other women, as history has shown us that women who want to terminate their pregnancies will go to any length to do so.
I also hate this notion that women should be punished for having sex. The negative view of sexuality in our society - that it is something only to be done in the confines of marriage, disturbs me. I don’t have sex with my partner because I have to, I have sex because I enjoy it, it feels good, it’s great for our relationship, and hey it even burns calories. Recently friends of ours went to a Catholic church for Sunday mass. In his homily, the priest talked about the destruction of the family and our society. He went on to blame children having sex, but in specific young girls having sex. Why is it just girls? They aren’t having sex alone, so why aren’t boys and men held to the same standards? In fact many women who seek abortions do so together with their partner, so should the men in the relationships be jailed as well for wanting or allowing the abortion to happen, or is it just the work of some Jezebel?
Punishing women for abortions does nothing for society. It will in fact only serve to send our maternal mortality skyrocketing once again. If we really want to reduce abortions, we must keep it legal and fully accessible, but also couple it with comprehensive sexuality education on how to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
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Do those words make you cringe? As the Canadian population continues to age and live longer, the reality is that many seniors (adults around the age of 65) will be enjoying their later years with a new take on sexual activity. With the new introduction of drugs such as Viagra as well as a trend of late-marriage divorce, sexual activity is no longer the domain of the young -- older adults will be looking at starting new sexual relationships. Sexually Transmitted Infections have been around for a long-time, probably from the beginning of time, yet many older Canadians are not aware of the risks of unprotected sex. They think that because there is no risk of pregnancy then there is no need to where a barrier type of contraception such as a female or male condom. However without using protection many “seniors” are exposing themselves to a multitude of diseases including Syphilis, Herpes, and HIV. In fact women who have undergone menopause are at a greater risk of contracting HIV do to the change in hormones that leads to “drier vaginas and thinner vaginal walls – both the natural results of menopause – which can lead to small lesions through which HIV can gain entry.” As the rules change surrounding sexuality, we must acknowledge that there is a new group at risk. It also means that there will be a need to outreach to older Canadians in ways that are informative and educational. There will also be an increase of older Canadians whom “come out” to their family and friends as they feel increasingly comfortable in identifying their sexuality. Aging does not mean that your sexual desire ends. In fact it may mean that you are more comfortable than ever expressing who you really are and have confidence in yourself. Older Canadians need to be educated about the risks that affect anyone who is sexually active – young or old.
]]>Babies are hard work. They bring happiness, joy, and fulfillment, but they also bring tears of joy and frustration, thoughts that you can do nothing to calm this screaming child in the middle of the night, and that maybe, just maybe, everyone would be better off if you weren’t around. I don’t have children myself, so I can’t even begin to imagine the roller coaster of emotions that women must go through after giving birth. The pressure that new moms must feel to “instinctively” know everything about children and how to care for them must be overwhelming. Most of the women whom I know to be new moms are doing this for the first time so the learning curve is even steeper.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is generally not a topic discussed between the squeals of “she’s so cute” or “he has your eyes.” One of my closest friends gave birth to a beautiful baby boy a little over a year ago, and although he is the coolest kid ever now, he wasn’t always that way. Since he entered the world, he has been making his presence known, and that meant many sleepless nights and barely-awake days for his parents. I remember going to see the new family a few weeks after they brought him home only to find Mom in tears and Dad holding his head in his hands at the thought of another night with a screaming newborn.
Postpartum depression can be classified into three types of depression according the Canadian Mental Health Association. They estimate that almost 50% to 80% of women will suffer from the “baby blues,” which is the minor form of postpartum depression. Three to twenty percent of all mothers will suffer a more severe depressive state actually called postpartum depression. Postpartum psychosis, the third class of depression, is rare according to the CMHA.
As the statistics show, almost half of all moms will suffer from some sort of PPD, yet it is rarely talked about. Many women that experience these emotions are told that the feelings will pass, and not to worry about it. However, as with other types of depression, “getting over it” can be hard to do. PPD is real, and many women experience it. As with other areas of reproduction, we should get over the stigma and get the women the help that they deserve. I am thankful that all of the women in my life had good support systems as first time moms, but for those women out there that are struggling with their emotions, understand that you are not alone and that what you are feeling is very real. For more information on PPD, check out the Pacific Postpartum Depression Support Society or the Canadian Mental Health Association.
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When I went for my interview with two of the existing board members, I was asked to what I thought some of the myths are that surround rape and sexual assault in general. Amongst the many that I could list off the top of my head was the myth that women in marriages or relationships can’t be raped by their partners. As sexual assault is defined as any sexual act performed on an individual without their consent, it has been argued in the past the marriage vows give an implicit consent to sexual acts.
Rape within marriage is very difficult because it is accompanied by emotional, verbal and even physical abuse. The abuser often starts by controlling their spouse’s actions, way of dressing, who they interact with, etc. This makes the spouse emotionally vulnerable to manipulation on behalf of the abuser and allows for the belief that marital vows obligate them to consent to any type of sexual activity and that sex within marriage is available “on demand.” It can also mean that women who become pregnant under these circumstances have no choice over their reproduction. Often the abuser would not allow for an abortion regardless of whether or not they can afford a child or an additional child.
In Japan, for example, women that are married must get consent from their husband in order to access abortion services. One of most famous cases in Canada in regards to abortion is the case Tremblay v. Daigle of 1989. Chantal Daigle’s abusive ex-boyfriend filed a lawsuit to try and stop her from accessing an abortion, Melissa Haussman has written in "Abortion Politics in North America." Ms. Daigle went to the United States to access abortion services when the Quebec Court of Appeals granted Mr. Tremblay an injunction to stop her from having an abortion. His attempt to stop the abortion was not that he wanted to raise the child or be involved in its life, but a last ditch effort to control the actions of a partner that had already fled his abuse.
Being in a relationship does not exclude you from suffering abuse -- it in fact may keep you silent about what is really happening because you feel committed to the person that you are with. However, no matter how committed you are in any relationship, it is not okay for your spouse to demand sex from you. For more information on marital rape, please contact you local women’s shelter or sexual assault crisis center.
]]>In this sect the practice of marrying young girls in their teens to older men, who are very often old enough to be their fathers and grandfathers, is quite common. The average birth rate for women in the sect is “eight or nine children while the provincial average is 1.5." The leader of the sect, Winston Blackmore, also claims that he himself married girls that “lied about their age.” The entire sect has low levels of education, but in the case of women, girls are expected to have a child a year as soon as they are able. Females are often pulled out of school because their role in society is to be at home, looking after children, and taking care of the needs of her husband.
Although located in Canada, the practice of young women being married to older men is no different than those in developing nations. These women are still being isolated and restricted from reaching their full potentials. Women, who have left the group, speak of sexual molestation and physical abuse. Women are considered to be the property of men and as such have no rights within the group. They are forced to marry, often times against their will and their religion teaches them that the only way to reach heaven is through complete and utter obedience to their husbands.
Although we have the laws in place to help exploited children, there is a strong need for enforcement. It is no coincidence that this sect chooses to live in isolated communities away from mainstream society, they know that the more hidden they are the less likely authorities will come looking for them. For the sake of the children and youth in these communities, provincial and federal governments should do more to protect their rights, despite the fact that we uphold the right to religious freedom. If it’s not okay in developing countries, then why is it okay in Canada? For more information on the Bountiful sect please visit: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/features/polygamy/index.html
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