Community workshop on the effects of sexual abuse

On June 15, 2015 the Anglican Diocese of Calgary and New Westminster gave their apology to survivors, their families, friends and the Japanese Canadian community for the sexual abuse perpetrated upon community children, mostly boys, by Goichi Gordon Nakayama. Their Apology referred to willingness to work with survivors, families and community toward reconciliation. Part of supporting a reconciliation process is to provide education about clergy sexual abuse and its effects upon survivors and their families

The experience of survivors and their families of the past sexual abuse perpetrated by Goichi Gordon Nakayama requires community knowledge, understanding and support so that those affected are able to address and reconcile their experience. This is also what the June 15, 2015 Apology intended. 

On February 18, 2017 from 10AM to 2PM a community workshop will take place in Greater Vancouver providing information about what clergy sexual abuse is and its effects upon survivors and their families. Please come. Location will be announced in the February bulletin. 

This workshop will include a panel presentation followed by lunch and community dialogue. Our panellists will be:

• Psychotherapist Teal Maedel who can provide information regarding the profile of a sexual offender including offenders who have maintained a position of trust and authority to those they victimized;

Archdeacon Lynne McNaughton and New Westminster Diocese Bishop Melissa Skelton who will speak about addressing and preventing sexual abuse, including training information, within the New Westminster Diocese

• Japanese American psychotherapist and professor Dr. Satsuki Ina. We are acquainted with Dr. Ina through her participation as a keynote speaker at our 2009 gathering called Honouring Our People which brought together Internment survivors to share their stories. Dr. Ina’s familiarity with our community and her expertise in addressing sexual abuse by clergy will provide valuable insight regarding ways to reconcile the abuse perpetrated by Goichi Gordon Nakayama. 

Satsuki Ina, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus in the School of Education at California State University where she taught advanced courses in clinical training. She currently has a private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area specializing in Community Trauma. Her clinical and scholarly work has focused on trauma related to issues of racism, abuse, natural disasters, and mass incarceration. She has recently completed a 10-year clergy abuse treatment project for victims of sexual abuse in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Treatment focus included individual therapy, couple and family therapy, and educational workshops for Presbytery leaders and the larger Chinatown community. Dr. Ina has also been called on to provide clergy abuse prevention workshops for Buddhist and Christian ministers. Included in the workshop is education regarding characteristics of clergy pedophiles, long-tern consequences of sexual abuse of children, the violation of faith, impact on the family and community, and complications regarding unique cultural issues. She continues today as consultant to organizations regarding the formation of a Healing Task Force from within the community, negotiations with responsible organizations/religious hierarchy regarding compensation and restoration of trust.

Please mark your calendars and attend this important informative workshop. Dr. Satsuki Ina will provide her expertise and insight about the effects of clergy sexual abuse upon the individual, family and community. The date is Saturday, February 18, 2017 from 10 am to 2PM. Lunch will be served. There will be opportunity for discussion. Location is being finalized and will be announced in the February bulletin. All are welcome so please come. Thank you. 

The Japanese Canadian Working Group (in alphabetical order) 

Connie Kadota, Daebin Im, Emi Kordyback, Judy Hanazawa, Lisa Uyeda, Lorene Oikawa, Naomi Shikaze, Ron Nishimura