Hopefully apologies to survivors of sexual misconduct in the military ‘bring a sense of closure,’ says advocacy group

An apology delivered Monday afternoon by the government and military “is expected to bring a sense of closure” to the many people harmed by the military’s sexual misconduct, a grassroots survivors advocacy and support group said.

“The most important aspect of this apology will be that it is addressed with sincerity and authenticity, with a true understanding of the impact that military sexual trauma has had on careers, lives and families after so many years of denying that there was a problem,” he said. the group. Not only 700 said in a press release.

The Apology to Current and Former Defense and Military Department Employees Affected by Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Assault, and Discrimination will be streamed live on the Canadian Armed Forces Facebook Page from 1 pm

A link to the live broadcast will also be posted on the CAF and DND Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as on the Apology for Sexual Misconduct Government Website.

A list of support services available is included in the Government of Canada website. Self-care tips and resources are also included in a It’s not just a 700 blog post.

“While some may accept the apology as part of their process, others may not be ready or able to do so as quickly. Some may never be able to accept anything less than a personal apology from their perpetrator, ”said It’s Not Just 700.

“Many of our group members have expressed that they remain skeptical until they see tangible changes taking place in CAF / DND. We respect and support all of these reactions. ”

Defense Minister Anita Anand will apologize on behalf of the federal government, Deputy Defense Minister Jody Thomas on behalf of the National Defense Department and Defense Chief of Staff General Wayne Eyre on behalf of the military.

Announcing the date of the apology last month, Anand, Thomas and Eyre said in a statement that “there should be no place in our organization” for sexual assault, sexual harassment or discrimination.

“We know that our collective failure to build an inclusive work culture free from these unacceptable behaviors has hurt our people,” the statement said.

The apology comes just weeks after the claims period ended in the settlement of a class action lawsuit brought by survivors of sexual misconduct against the federal government.

Almost 19,000 complaints were filed before the November 24 deadline by current and former CAF members and DND employees.

The court-approved settlement provides for compensation of up to $ 155,000, changes to veterans and military affairs policies, and the option for survivors of sexual misconduct to participate in a restorative engagement, during which they can share their experiences with senior officials.

Although it was not part of the settlement agreement, the federal government had indicated in court that it would apologize.

While the deadline for filing a claim has passed, the settlement administrator has the discretion to extend the deadline by 60 days until January 23, 2022 due to exceptional circumstances, said Jonathan Ptak, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

“To date, many late claims have been accepted for consideration,” he said.

Ptak said that people looking for an extension to submit should contact the deal manager immediately and check the class action settlement website.