Rape apology double standard has arrived at Queen’s University. Professor Adele Mercier has made comments trivializing the statutory rape of vulnerable boys – and is being rewarded with an invitation to join a panel tonight at an event sponsored directly by Queen’s University. Sexually explicit chants and facebook posts prompted the former Governor General to call out rape culture on Canadian campuses. What are we to make of a University now directly sponsoring a talk that gives a podium to one of their profs who has dismissed actual criminal sex offences against boys. Double standard?

Contact Queen’s University through all their communication channels and let them know this is unacceptable

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MEDIA ADVISORY – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Queen’s Dept. of Gender Studies Hosts Rape Apologist Tonight

Human rights activists outraged by public remarks from Queen’s Prof Adele Mercier trivializing the rape of boys

TORONTO, ONTARIO — (April 8, 2014) The Canadian Association for Equality (CAFE) is deeply disturbed that Queen’s University is hosting an event tonight (Tuesday, April 8) featuring rape apologist and Queen’s Professor of Philosophy Adele Mercier. The event is a direct response to CAFE’s March 27 talk by Professor Janice Fiamengo, which some feminist groups on campus described as promoting misogyny and rape culture.

In a March 31 letter in the Queen’s University Journal, Mercier dismisses reports that 95% of abused boys in juvenile facilities are attacked or coerced by female staff, insisting:

“so the 95% that you cite is of MALE YOUTH who experience sexual misconduct involving FEMALE STAFF WITHOUT FORCE.”

“In other words, her defense for the statutory rape of boys is that he wanted it,” said CAFE Spokesperson Adam McPhee. “While sexually explicit chants or facebook posts have been condemned for fostering rape culture on campus, Mercier trivializes actual statutory rape, provided it is committed by a female against a male.”

In another Queen’s Journal letter of April 3, 2014, Mercier says:

“Yes, men too are raped (and note that it is men who rape them)…”

“Mercier’s true intent is clear,” said McPhee. “Committed beyond reason to her ideological position, she wants us to ignore growing evidence of the reality of female sexual predators.”

An incarcerated youth can give no meaningful consent and Mercier’s comments diminish the criminal culpability of dangerous offenders. CAFE stands for gender equality, and believes that the severity of the crime is not lessened on the basis of gender. Mercier’s comments are unacceptable in a society which values and protects all children equally.

CAFE spokespeople will be attending tonight’s event at Queen’s University to listen respectfully and engage the public and the press. CAFE’s goal is to raise awareness of a rape double standard that is harming boys, families and society.

CONTACT

Amber Taylor, Media and Public Relations Director,

Canadian Association for Equality

info@equalitycanada.com

416-479-0718

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Links

The event that is giving Adele Mercier a podium is hosted by the student-funded Levana Gender Advocacy Centre and sponsored by the University itself, through the Queen’s Department of Gender Studies. To date none of these organizations, nor Mercier’s fellow panelists, have issued any condemnation of her reprehensible remarks.

March 31 Letter

April 3 Letter

Full statement

Queen’s University Philosophy Professor Adele Mercier made the following comments in a March 31 letter to the editor in the Queen’s University Journal

“so the 95% that you cite is of MALE YOUTH who experience sexual misconduct involving FEMALE STAFF WITHOUT FORCE.”

These reprehensible comments are not acceptable to a society which values and protects all children equally.

Mercier’s comment(s) diminished the criminal culpability of adult female correctional facility employees who engaged in sex with youth under their complete control.

Sexual relations between correctional employees and the youth they watch over are forbidden both in policy and in law. A youth who is incarcerated can give no meaningful consent while knowing full well an answer in the negative could result in retributive actions taken by their guards. Therefore any consent given by the correctional facility youth is done under either overt or implied coercion, and can not given freely.

A sexual union between adults and a youth outside of a correctional facility environment is called statutory rape. It is illegal and the severity of the crime is not lessened on the basis of gender by individuals like Mercier. It is illegal for adults to engage in sexual relations with youths.

Furthermore in the Queen’s Journal letter dated April 3, 2014, Mercier goes on to say in the opening line of her second paragraph:

“Yes, men too are raped (and note that it is men who rape them)…”

Mercier’s true intent is clear. Committed to her ideological position, she wants us to ignore female sexal abusers by claiming that it’s only men who rape, even if it’s other men who are targeted. Mercier is either woefully out of touch with the sexual criminality of females, discrediting her views on the topic, or she refuses to accept that females can be sexual predators at all due to her ideological beliefs. Again, this discredits her position.

There should be no discrimination in regards to the victim’s gender. Forced sex is a criminal act no matter what the gender the victim is or what the gender of the criminal is. To hold one gender to a higher standard of criminal culpability than that of the other gender is an irrefutable sign of gender discrimination. Is that what Mercier if really fighting for?