I’ve been gone for a little while, took a little break, been busy with the kids and trying to get some serious R & R in as well. It’s summer, time to let my hair down and relax or so I’m trying. I chose not to write because I needed a break from everything, but something caught my eye today – headlines in the paper:
“Mounties deny allegations in high-profile harassment lawsuit”
The Mounties have issued a sweeping denial in a high-profile sexual harassment suit by a B.C. member whose allegations prompted other women to come forward with their own claims of abuse.
Read more: province newspaper
Cpl. Catherine Gailliford at one time had a high-profile job with the RCMP as she was the media liaison officer during the highly public Air India case and at some point everything spiralled out of control and now claims that she was sexually harassed for decades on the job. She filed a lawsuit and now the RCMP have filed a denial and claims that she is an alcoholic who refused treatment and had a relationship with one of the men she is accusing of sexually harassing her. Catherine has prompted many more woman to come forward against the male brass RCMP. The truth will be fought out in court and just maybe we will never know the truth. All too often I read about police abuse or harassment these days and it seems to me that the incidents are happening more and more. Maybe these incidents aren’t happening more, maybe just reported more. We really don’t know but one thing for sure, there is a tremendous stress involved with policing today and alcohol abuse is a real factor amongst officers, women and men. Divorce rate is extremely high in the police force and police officers seem to only have other police officers as friends. Throw in alcohol, add woman and men who find themselves in highly pressurized situations at work and at home and trouble brews. Exactly who is wrong or who is right is a subject of many debates around the kitchen table, but one thing for sure is there seems to be a lack of respect amongst people in general these days and certainly from all the stories I’ve read and heard the respect between men and woman is gone as well. Respecting one another, respecting each others’ boundaries, being kind and checking one’s ego at the door would go a long way in this society. Like Aretha says – R-E-S-P-E-C-T – find out what it means to me!
MOMWHEARINGLOSS 