AARC Survivor's Letter Requesting Action and Acknowledgment

Feeling connected to one another by our common traumatic experiences in AARC, survivors, friends and family of survivors and concerned observers joined together to acknowledge the personal loss and the pain and suffering stemming from that horrifying ordeal.

Many of us lost our integrity, our innocence, our sense of self worth, our youth, our ability to trust others, our family relationships, etc. In addition, many of us still suffer from diagnosed psychological disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder, severe depression, social phobias, panic disorders, etc. caused by our imprisonment in AARC. Many Survivors still endure vivid AARC nightmares, can still hear the cries of children as they were abused, and cannot forget the abuse we personally endured or witnessed as vulnerable children and helpless parents or siblings.

We, the undersigned, survivors of AARC and their friends and families, respectfully request public inquiry and action from you, addressing the fact that AARC unjustly committed various crimes, abused children, and utilized extremely unethical practices against innocent young clients and their families, which included, but were not limited to the following:

1) Brainwashing (aka coercive thought reform);
2) Physical abuse;
3) Usage of illegal and or unethical restraints;
4) Unethical forms of extreme humiliation, including but not limited to; beltlooping, no privacy/watched while urinating, defecating, or bathing;
5) Forced feeding and/or inadequate portions of food and resulting weight gain/loss;
6) Sleep deprivation caused by unwarranted, prolonged daily group hours, supervision of other clients, an unhealthy expectation of responsibilities for a youth, other time spent in the building (up to at least 3 additional pre and/or post group hours), lengthy commuting time, and in many cases, due to intentionally withholding sleep as punishment for not cooperating to coerce compliance;
7) Verbal abuse unduly harsh confrontational tactics that included swearing, screaming, yelling, spitting, belittling, humiliating, etc., a child in front of a large group of child clients;
8) Sexual abuse;
9) Psychological abuse;
10) Coerced confessions;
11) Unjustifiable and lengthy isolation in intake and/or time out rooms;
12) Denial of necessary medical and/or dental care;
13) Kidnapping;
14) False Imprisonment;
15) Accepting clients with little/no drug history (the so-called dry druggie theory);
16) Employing uneducated, unprofessional teenage staff.

In addition to acknowledging that the above-mentioned abuses, crimes, and unethical practices occurred, we respectfully request an inquiry and action regarding the following; allowing the abuse, unethical practices and crimes to continue for years, lending your name to, sponsoring, recommending, and/or endorsing AARC, for sending children to AARC via the Youth Provincial Court, and for failing to properly and/or adequately oversee and monitor AARC.

We, the Survivors of AARC, are the walking wounded, but we walk with our heads held high as a community, determined to overcome the injustice we were forced to endure as children and their families while held in AARC. We are all fighters who feel empowered by the strength we draw from each other. Many AARC Survivors are also determined to be healthy, prosperous and productive adults and are resolved to heal and move on.

The community of AARC survivors has taken many steps toward healing. Each of us has taken a different approach, some have sought therapy, many regularly communicate and lean on each other for support. On Friday February 13th, 2009, CBC's The Fifth Estate broadcast a documentary on the AARC program which was another step towards closure for the Survivors of AARC and future survivors. As you read this petition up to 60 confused youth are sitting at the AARC facility at 303 Forge Road SE, Calgary.

Receiving acknowledgment and action we are owed from those who have the power and responsibility to help us, would be a significant step toward resolving the flagrant injustice of AARC, and would facilitate our healing process and the future healing process of current AARC clients and their families.