Booklet #3:
What do people say about the women's group?

Some events that led up to forming the women's group

• In the summer the group had a discussion about the law in Canada. Many men expressed the view that the law here was on the woman's side. They felt it interfered too much in people's relationships. The men made comments like, "Here a man could go to jail for beating his wife, even if she deserves it," and "A man cannot even cuff his wife."

• The staff were hearing from women who were afraid or unable to come to the program because of violent partners. Sometimes tutors were turned away from homes by the students' husbands. And sometimes the woman would be peeking out behind the curtains as her tutor walked away.

• Staff, tutors and students were being harassed by male students and were feeling uncomfortable. One woman said, "If this guy continues, I'm gonna stop come."

• A male staff member was uncertain about whether the staff had the right to confront a student who was being accused of harassment. He felt the staff's job was only to help people learn to read and write. He didn't think the program should address incidents of harassment.

• A women's group was formed in February 1991 but had to stop in April of the same year because the staff did not have time to do it.

This is what happened at a group session on January 29, 1992.

A staff member told the students about ALFA's decision to form a women's group. This decision was made because the staff was hearing from more women that sexual harassment was happening at ALFA and that women were not always comfortable working in the other groups.

This led to a very heated discussion about sexual harassment. Most men in the group were upset. They were concerned that something they thought to be "innocent" would be used by a woman who wanted "to get back at them". She might say that she was being harassed.

The men said that if something bothers a woman, she should say so at the time. The women said that it is sometimes difficult for women to speak up because they are afraid.