I have spoken for the truth and reconciliation centre at a lunch-and-learn. That really opened my eyes about consent and coercion and what they mean to me.
Consent requires full understanding, time and freedom from pressure. I was in pain, I was medicated, and I was told I might die. That is not a situation where someone can give informed, voluntary consent.
I did want to make a note about doctors' intent and the impact it may have on patients. Intent matters, because it shapes decisions. Whether conscious or not, bias can influence how providers treat patients. In my case, the comments and actions reflected a lack of respect for my body autonomy and my future.
I also wanted to bring up the big elephant in the room, and that's our work as survivor support workers. I support survivors across Canada, hundreds of survivors. What I hear repeatedly are similar patterns, including pressure, lack of information and lasting trauma. This is not isolated, and it is ongoing.
I don't know if I can mention it, but our funding has been cut. I feel, as a survivor support worker, that we are doing just as much harm as the people who have harmed us. As we open many survivors' wounds, we're no longer able to fully support them with the funding cuts. I find myself disconnecting again and not wanting to keep that relationship going with other survivors, because of the lack of support I can provide. That's something really important to survivors. Once they're heard, they feel seen, and they feel supported. The lack of funding is now going to put them in a darker place.
One of the comments I really want to make here is just how important the Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice is, as well as our jobs.
Thank you.