UNITY — A recent story on SASKTODAY.ca Sex offender failed to report to Registry yearly - SaskToday.ca and in the Press-Herald outlined surprising news to many Unity residents who learned a registered sex offender had been living in their community. There were quick and plentiful responses on social media regarding the news.
Two Unity women responded on the initial news post letting people know they were gathering signatures for a federal petition. Sandra Lee Kelly and Katherine King have partnered to bring this critical issue to the forefront and encourage people to sign the petition they want brought to parliament.
King, tells the Press-Herald / SASKTODAY.ca, “I became involved with Survivors Fighting for Change (SFC) as a volunteer to help with awareness events and assisting in fundraising events.”
King had known Kelly for some time and knew she was a supporter of the not-for-profit group known as SFC. When King moved back to Unity, Kelly offered to help collect signatures for this petition.
In her response to the story breaking on social media, King responds, “I am planning an awareness event with another gal, hoping to hold it prior to his re-release into our community. We also hope to host a child [identification] event, so parents can come and get that done as well. You can find Survivors Fighting for Change on Facebook and Instagram. We would gladly accept any help with the events planned.”
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4315101075264917/?ref=share
Instagram: @survivorsfighting4change; Website (under construction) www.survivorsfighting4change.com and Twitter: @weneedchange
Duo passionate about fighting for change
Kelly’s background includes volunteer counsellor with SA locally for the past 20 years. She has completed a MA in counselling and psychology, as well as worked within the school system and health care system. Kelly has long been a supporter of children and adolescents through identification, disclosures, reporting and the legal system as an advocate and therapist.
Kelly responded to the story post on social media, saying, “Please consider contacting Katherine King or myself to sign a petition that will address the issues of catch and release. We need legislation to address this issue otherwise it will continue the endangerment of our most priceless.”
King adds that the petition is specific to adults who are charged with sexual offence against a minor and released on bail into undisclosed communities across Canada. “We are asking for a minimum mandatory statutory conditions to be added to our criminal code to ensure the following are in place to further protect children living within these communities:
• a minimum distance they can reside from a playground, school, or their victim(s) while on bail release;
• mandatory monitoring while on bail release; and
• a graduated system for repeat offenders."
Canada has a similar system in place for other dangerous crimes such as drinking and driving offences and the duo would like to see similar conditions imposed on adults charged with any sexual offence relating to children across Canada.
King says they started collecting signatures in August of 2021.
News of offender living in community sparks renewal for petition signatures
When asked if the latest news of an offender residing in Unity sparked a new urgency for collecting more signatures and promoting their message, King responds, “Absolutely it did. Communities are often not notified when these offenders are released back out so that is where we come in to do events so people aware of said release.
“Our message is not always one that wants to be heard or talked about unfortunately, but it is a very important issue that needs addressing.”
Anyone who resides within Unity can contact King or Kelly at anytime to sign a copy. They duo can also be reached via email at survivorsfighting@gmail.com to receive an electronic copy that is then mailed back to them.
How will the petition be delivered? King responds that it will be provided to an MP who will submit the signatures for certification, then the MP will present them in batches of 30 signatures at a time in order to bring the topic to light multiple times. In the meantime, King says they will continue to collect signatures and more petitions are in the works, as there are many other issues within Canada’s Criminal Code that they would like to see changed.
“Our team of volunteers across Canada has been collecting signatures from family and friends and mailing those signatures back to us, any adult in Canada can collect signatures to help. The easiest way to get a copy of the petition is by emailing us.”
The petition includes details such as “It is estimated that one in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused in North America, with the exact number hard to determine because many cases are not reported.”
The petition also outlines, “Sexual assault has numerous potential consequences that can last a lifetime and span generations, with serious adverse effects on health, education, employment, crime, and the economic well-being of individuals, families, communities and societies.”
In essence, the petition states the accused shall not be eligible for a release order without mandatory statutory conditions under section 515(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada. The complete details of the petition are included in the written copy.
