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The oppression I have seen is at my old placement , at Matthew House Ottawa . I worked with Refugee clients and always when i want to take a client to a appointment , they are always treated less because the client would show their ID as a refugee and right away someone would say a comment ,because they are refugee and assume they get everything for free . Refugee's are always
dealing with oppression because they are judged easily as lazy people who are here just to sit and take money from the government .

Dina Koury

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The oppression I have witnessed would be when

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The oppression that I have witness at my placement would be based on the race. An individual who is marginalize in our current society has often been oppressed by the structural system that we have. Racism has been a huge problem in our society but we tend to ignore it and make it normalize.

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I am currently completing my placement at a women's shelter. Harmony House provides women and their children with safe shelter when they are fleeing domestic violence. I am finding that the women who speak very little English have a more difficult time making their way through the system and trying to access services they need to get support in leaving their abusive relationship, and these women often do not get the support they and their children need. This makes it harder for them to become independent on their own, without their abusive spouse. The workers at the women's shelter do their best to help women get the help they need, but it is still very difficult and often takes a very long time.

Morgan Andrews

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Oppression Against Male Victims of Abuse

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Oppression Against Male Victims of Abuse

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Male victims who experience abuse (specifically domestic violence or sexual violence) are sometimes overlooked by society due to gender norms and gender roles largely held by society. These gender roles create an environment where males who share their feelings and stories about partner abuse are often told to man up or get made fun of for being beaten up by "a chick". This makes a situation where there a gaps in services due to these gender norms and gender myths.

I have personally seen this take place at my placement last year at the Carling Family Shelter when a male came to the shelter because he was fleeing domestic abuse. He became socially isolated during his time at the shelter and told a caseworker it was because he felt awkward being there because he was abused by his wife.

This is also seen in everyday life by how society talks and views violence based on gender. This is seen in the media (tv) when in shows and sitcoms if a woman talks down to her male partner or smacks him its often seen as comedic or at least not harmful or shocking.

Ben Christmas

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I am currently doing my placement at Ottawa Victim Services. At this agency, we work to help support victims of crime and tragic circumstances over come the tragic experiences they have gone through. During this placement I have witnessed multiple forms of oppression against women from their encounters with the police. As part of our services, we do police accompaniments with victims, who have fled violence, go back and retrieve their belongings. On some of these accompaniments, the police would be speak to the women with little respect and not follow prodigal. For example, in order to someone to enter their home that they have fled, one of three things must occur: 1. They have to have their name on the lease or indicate some proof of paying for the home, 2. have a key to the home, 3. permission from the person currently living in the home to enter the premises. On some experiences, the police have denied the clients access to the home even though they have all the requirements of entering the home. However, when we have accompanied male victims with even less requirements, the police have allowed for the victim to enter the home.

This is an example of oppression because the police force has showed a lack of fairness and equality towards men and women from the experiences that I have witnessed. This lack of consistency with the police paints a picture as to the oppression that they demonstrate towards women.

- Brianna Abrams

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Oppression and Making Assumptions about the Capabilities of Those with Autism

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Oppression and Making Assumptions about the Capabilities of Those with Autism

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I am currently taking my placement at Longfields Davidson High School where I work with students with autism. Although the atmosphere is for the most part, an optimistic one, there are of course times where I feel there are assumptions made regarding how capable some of these students may be when filling out certain tasks. I've seen students be pardoned from certain duties under the assumption they couldn't fulfill certain tasks when really, after working with/ studying these students, I'm well aware these students are more than capable of doing such activities. One very basic example was when a student was bending down to tie his shoes and a newer co-op student came by to assist him. In a polite fashion I told her to let him do it because he was well aware of what he was doing and although this individual is known as a fairly low functioning student, this is something he knew how to do and he was actively doing so before she went to assist him. Another assumption made often is when a student will be discussed. Sometimes this happens right in front of the student and it's assumed that the individual doesn't understand what they are saying when in reality, they do.
This is a form of oppression because these acts not only generalize a certain group of people, but they undermine their intelligence and assume a lack of capability.
- Alex De Paul

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In some countries around the world immigrants who enter the country borders will not grant any rights and freedom. Immigrants are not allowed to participate in any political process and are not protected by the laws that apply to the citizens. Immigrants can be forced to work for low wages and are denied basic services such as access to food and health care and education. This is an example of a situation where the immigrants are oppressed by the society.

Also, this an experience of oppression because immigrants already had been suffering cruel experiences and trauma due to civil wars. They should be treated equally just like any other citizen on any land. Not being able to grant any rights and freedom will traumatize them more since their main goal to look for freedom somewhere else in a safe country. Immigrants must be organized along with citizen, as equals with the same rights. They must have equal pay and access basics services and reproductive services. They should be treated as equal any citizen of any country without being discriminated against.

Layali Zafiri

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Oppression & Young Parenting/ Pregnant Teens

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Oppression & Young Parenting/ Pregnant Teens

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I am currently completing my placement at the Youville Centre. Specifically, the agency is a day treatment program adhered to working with young parenting and pregnant women.

Subsequently, our clients are subjected to a mass amount of oppression. Provided that they are younger partners with low socioeconomic status, clients are constantly disempowered and treated as less than adequate. The most prominent example that clients will often express occur on the bus. Regularly,  clients disclose how other passengers openly pass judgement on their parenting techniques because of their age. Moreover, clients have expressed how difficult it can be hearing commentary from other passengers putting them for taking public transportation with their children.

Additionally, teens are often undermine by their superiors. Specifically, young parenting and pregnant teens are subjected to constant coaching from their superiors regarding their parenting techniques, regardless, of their intentions.   Oppression is evident in various forms, young parents and pregnant mothers are victim to a wide range.

Anne-Marie

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  Systemic and Attitudinal Oppression Against Immigrants 

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  Systemic and Attitudinal Oppression Against Immigrants 

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I have the opportunity to work with the immigrates. In my work, I have been a witnessed to several types of oppression aimed  particularly to this population. Immigrants tend to be judged for their lack in their knowledge in English language and the way of life.

I come into contact with many individuals that are judged on a daily basis and also heard common stereotypes about immigrants such as “being lazy because they are often on welfare and are unemployed”.

Although this clients are unemployed due to various circumstances they should be treated with human dignity and respect.

Shar Htoo

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I am currently at Ottawa Technical Secondary School for my placement. I experience teen oppression almost every day within the guidance department and not only do we see teen oppression but we hear about their family oppression. Teens are always misunderstood or undermined mostly by their superiors. Teens are oppressed from social standards, cultural behaviors, the law, and also by adultism. Teens are always feeling the pressures to be perfect. Teens who need to support themselves are rarely given the chance to get a job or even proper supports due to their age. An example I hear all the time is “Laura I am living on my own and need to get a job but I am 16 years of age with no experience, and employers always say to me you have no experience you're too young… volunteer.” I thought that we were not supposed to not discriminate against ageism and classism? I am not saying that we do not need rules put in place for teens because every teen needs guidance, supports and lots of structure but adults especially are not always conscious of their wording when it comes to trying to “help” teens, it normally turns out to these adults are silencing this population. I hate seeing and hearing these young adults stories of feeling powerless in society. I think to myself it is not supposed to be like this. Teens should feel the power to be the change and make change in their lives to better “their future”, they should not feel oppressed and marginalized by the world they live in. I feel teenagers are oppressed in society and there needs to be positive change in working on fixing adultism in young adults because these people are our future.

Laura Pettes

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I am currently working at Pathways to independence and some of the clients get treated unequally because of there outbursts. One of our clients gets very frustrated easily and this makes the staff get burnt out and frustrated.
The client does not understand dangerous weather conditions so if we have to change our plans for the day he thinks its because of him and not because of the roads. We are now trying to find new ways to show him this but until now it has been a lot of frustration with staff towards the client leaving him with being treated unfairly and of course having a brain injury makes him feel mental pressure and distress which makes him fit in with oppression.
Cassie McLinton

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I am currently working at Shepherds of Good Hope, I work with the homeless population that feels like they are always judge for living in the shelter. I  come into contact with many individuals that are judge on a daily and a lot of people are lazy because they are at homeless shelter. I think that homeless woman are more oppressed than man only because they are forced to do thing that they wouldn't normally do. It is a lot harder for a women to be homeless than a man. It is harder for women to get a job because a lot of employment think that they are lazy and that they won't be a good worker.

This is many of oppression in a homeless shelter. There are many oppression in a shelter such as racism, white privileges, and ect.

Grace

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While working at Somerset West Community Health Centre, I have witnessed individuals that come through the doors every day who suffer from oppression by living with addiction. Living with addiction makes them oppressed because their need for substances stops them from achieving goals besides obtaining drugs. The oppression occurs when society does not provide care to those in need but instead punishes drug users. Addiction can affect anyone, but it is much easier to believe it is only found within a certain group of people, we tend to marginalize these individuals and write them off. At NESI we give people a safe space to come and not feel shame around the fact they use drugs, with our peer program we hire active or recovering drug users in our community to work for us to earn a sense of pride and purpose. We work together passionately as a team to reduce stigma towards drug users.

Cayla Pester

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Working with elderly people who suffer from dementia at the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre's Adult Day Program, I have witnessed different occurances of the marginalization of the elderly. All of the clients I work with suffer from a dementia-related illness. Alot of the clients feel very powerless while suffering from these diseases.

Caregiving for people who suffer from dementia related illnesses can be very challenging. Some times, when caregivers experience burn-out, they can start opressing their loved ones. They may become frustrated, feeling like their loved one can do nothing for themselves. This can be very discouraging for the client and make them feel powerless. I have seen and heard of stories where both loved ones, and back up staff for the agency have spoken to clients differently...like they were speaking to a child. Although these clients do suffer from these illnesses, they are adults who should be treated like one.

Often times I think that the elderly can be seen as a burden, people do not realize how much of a joy they are to be around. Sometimes when we take the clients for a walk around the school, I see students getting frustrated as we are holding them up and they are in a rush.

Jessica Keating

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While working at a women's centre, there are women who are in the transition of their change. A lot of the elderly women don't believe in allowing transgender women into our centre because they believe that they are still considered a man and feel "awkward" while in their presence.

This past week, the other women centre that a lot of the other women go to was closed which caused a lot of those women to come to my centre. A lot of the women that came from the other centre are openly gay, or transgender which caused a lot of talk amongst the women at my centre. On Friday, we had over 20 new women come to the centre to play bingo. While in the middle of bingo, one of the transgender women had won, and the regular women thought it was wrong because she shouldn't actually be there because she isn't considered a women to the regulars. This caused this poor women to leave the room and cry and feel ashamed of who she is. I went and comforted her, and made sure she knew that she is who she feel like she should be, I told her she shouldn't feel ashamed of who she is, everyone is their own person and everyone has their own rights.

Because the elderly were raised differently and in a different generation, they aren't open to all these new things. I want to help educate women who aren't open to the idea of being transgender, or gay or any part of the LGBTQ community so that they can see that these people are women, and they belong here on earth with all of us and these deserve just as much respect as we do.

Kimberly Rozon

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Marginalization of people who live in supportive housing and have a mental illness 

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Marginalization of people who live in supportive housing and have a mental illness 

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During my placement time at women’s supportive housing and some of the women didn’t know they had certain rights and didn’t know they had access to resources and services for various needs they have. For example one of the clients who has Down syndrome didn’t know that she could access extra money to help her with her medical and physical issues and other things until someone mentioned it to her after she had been living in the shelter/ supportive housing for 7 years. Most of the women in supportive housing have access to things they need but sometimes feel oppressed because family won’t come see them because where they live or because they have mental health disorders.

In our community there is still a huge stigma around mental illness which creates a lack of resources and people getting help in the community. So many of my clients have been force into hospitalization to get them help because some of them could not face going to get help because they didn’t want people to know.  A few of them have and are involved on the criminal justice system because of the lack of resources or they have lost their house because they couldn’t get the help they needed for their mental illness.

- Gillian McDonald

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I have seen and hear of is black people are treated like they are always doing something wrong or being targeted in some ways. Always getting blamed for selling drugs, committing murders, robbery...it's always has to be a black person that did it. I watch Dateline NBC and they have profiled many black people who are wrongly convicted of an offence they are truly innocent of. Andre Hatchette, who spent 25 years in prison for 1991 murder of a woman found naked in a park was one of them.  His trial was spoiled by misstepped and called a "systematic failure."

Black people who live in low income housing strongly face that stigma.  It makes me think we will never be seen as just normal people trying to live our lives as citizens of our country. Even those who have jobs and are making a contribution to society, it always seem to go back to the color of our skins or the way we appear. That is something I hope can change over time.
- Kwama Cadogan

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While working at the Shepherds of Good Hope, I come into contact with many individuals that experience marginalization on a daily basis. Homeless women often face exploitation on the streets at the hands of their male counterparts. SOGH is built in such a way to protect women in a place they can come to as a safe haven (even though it is still a coed facility), however women do face the prospect of being coerced to do things they wouldn't ordinarily do. This type of oppression is gendered and what makes it a type of oppression is that many women are made to feel as though they need to do exploitative things in order to survive, whether that be for financial or other forms of resource gaining. As it is most desirable to have more access to resources when homeless, this form of patriarchal oppression works to undermine female autonomy and independence.

This is only one form of oppression at the shelter. Racism is another form of oppression, as many first nations individuals can come across oppression from "white" landlords if the individual is deemed to not present well. This is also a form of oppression because there is this inherit idea that because someone is homeless and first nations that they might not be a trusted individual to have as a tenant, which is wrong understandably. This same denial can be exhibited with those individuals that are facing addictions issues because the individual might still be able to have successful tenancy even though they came from a homeless or addictions past.

-Danny Edmonds

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I am working with a lot of individuals that are facing oppression at the Canadian Mental Health Association. Many of the individuals I work with are facing multiple grounds of oppression. Everyone of our clients is battling mental illness, and some of our clients are also disabled, homeless, low income, from the LGBTQ+ community, of a race other than white, etc. My strongest value is that everyone deserves respect, and I do try my best to show respect to absolutely everyone I come into contact with whether I am at my placement or not. Some of the people CMHA serves face so much oppression and stigma that many people they come in contact with do not even treat them with respect, instead they get discriminated against and face hate from others. In my first month, I helped a client down a staircase (mobility issues), and I held her hand and she squeezed my tightly, then she started to cry; she simply explained that usually people see her struggle and just walk by, and she cannot remember the last time someone helped her. I have also received thank you cards and an abundance of appreciation from clients for simply treating them with respect (opening doors for people, standing up so someone could sit in my place, waiting and holding elevator doors, etc.) or as like to say, treating people like I would like to be treated. The over response of the clients towards me kind of angers me because the things I do for them are so small and insignificant for the privileged individuals I do it for that they often do not even look to see who is keeping the elevator waiting for them, holding the door open, etc.; it shines light on how the individuals that are oppressed internalize their oppression; they themselves do not understand why I am treating them with the respect I do. It also shines light on the way most individuals in society treat them, and how individuals in the mental health system have so much boundaries and rules simply because they are not considered to be "socially normal".

There are a lack of resources in the community for individuals facing mental illness, I believe this is because of all of the stigma around mental illness, and many of our clients have been or are involved in the criminal justice system; most of the time this is due to the limited resources. I have met many clients that were in a crisis and brought into police custody; this happens a lot as a result of the limited resources, and as a result the individuals mental health suffers even more. I have not even mentioned suicide yet; if individuals with mental illnesses are brought into police custody and detained instead or receiving the support they need, they are more apt to commit suicide.

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Marginalization of People with Substance Use / Mental Health Issues

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Marginalization of People with Substance Use / Mental Health Issues

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During my placement at the Ottawa Withdrawal Management Centre, I have witnessed and been told many anecdotes related to the marginalization of people with substance abuse problems who also suffer from mental illness. As is becoming more and more talked about, some form of mental health issue or past trauma is often associated with substance abuse. This can create a very difficult crossroads for clients, as they are already labelled as "addicts". Having the full extent of your lived experiences reduced to one word that has a negative connotation can be very damaging and dehumanizing. Many clients also suffer from mental health concerns, either diagnosed or undiagnosed, which may be playing a critical role in their substance use. Problems can start to occur at this intersection of issues, the labels that come with them, and the stigma attached to clients by society at large. It is difficult enough to reach out for help with a substance abuse issue, and to have society reinforce the idea that mental illness is something that should not be talked about and should be kept to oneself, often times clients are not addressing the core issues / traumas that may be contributing heavily to their substance use. The sad part is that a lot of the time these feelings that they can't ask for help for fear of further judgment, that they will be considered "crazy" or further ostracized from society are often perpetuated by media, moralist political stances and broader societal norms. While much work is being done to reduce the stigma of mental health, as well as substance abuse, more needs to be done to recognize the common intersectionality of these issues, and to address them accordingly.
- Michael Ferri

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Oppression Against LGBTQ+ Parents In Canada

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Oppression Against LGBTQ+ Parents In Canada

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I am currently witnessing oppression and the push back against oppression within Canada and the province of Ontario. Before 2017 all LGBTQ+ parents in Canada had to legally adopt their child. For example, this meant that for a lesbian couple, the one that gave birth to the child got to mark herself as mother on the child's birth certificate whereas the other had to apply to adopt their partner's child, even if the couple were married. The law stipulated that there must be a 'mother' and 'father' listed on the birth certificate. Meaning to get around this LGBTQ+ couples had to legally adopt the child after birth. This process can take months, sometimes years, meaning that legally that partner is not the parent of their child. This is systematic oppression because the government decided that it was to be this way without acknowledging the lives of those who are not heterosexuals. This affirmed a system hierarchically arranged as superior and inferior. The still existing belief that LGBTQ+ families/individuals are abnormal, or unable to be parents. Thankfully there is pushback against this and in November of 2016 Ontario passed the All Families Are Equal Act which means that LGBTQ+ parents will no longer have to legally adopt their children but instead can mark themselves as the parent on the birth certificate. I believe the titles will even be changed to 'parent' instead of 'mother or father' which is a huge step in the right direction for Canada and makes me happy for my future in having children. The only issue is the law governing this issue is provincial and not federal, therefor the rest of Canada needs to pass the same kind of Equal Families Act so that all LGBTQ+ parents can experience the same rights to stating they are the child's parent.
- Geneviève Meloche

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Within my placement I have seen many forms of oppression among a wide variety of individuals and communities. One type common among most of my clients is those marginalized due to their income and use of social assistance programs. Although we have come along way from having mandatory Poor Houses our society is not welcoming of those needing financial assistance. The stigma and oppression stems back in history when the thought of "deserving and undeserving poor" came to be. Those who sit in a higher seat of power through affluence and ignorance judge certain people and families as deserving "their" tax money or not. The judgement can be based on many things such as how hard the person works, teen pregnancy, addiction, CAS involvement, education and many other factors which are deemed the person fault.
However if a "equal member of society" working in a middle class job got laid off and needed social assistance then it is often thought of as okay and just.
These ideals not only translate to the people being oppressed but to potential employers, supports, family and friends.
- Megg Blackwell

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In my placement oppression is a far too common issue in the elderly community. Generally, the elderly are seen as a frail, difficult, and for lack of a better word; useless. They are not seen for who they are/were. People often do not look past the illnesses, age, disabilities, and inconveniences to see that they have a family, had a career, have spouses, and very productive members of society. On fridays we go out into the community for lunch and an activity, this is where I am able to see many interactions my clients have with society. I see people rolling their eyes when they are walking slowly in the hallway, workers getting angry when they do not understand the sale or instructions, and the servers getting angry when they take too long with the menu. I overall see a society that views
their elders as a inconvenience. Seniors are oppressed because they walk slowly, take patients, require assistance, and are not able to keep up with our fast pace "go go go" society.  They are made to feel uncomfortable resulting in lack of socialization instead of appreciated and given the time they need and deserve.

Vanessa McCracken