The Cornerstone Housing for Women shelter in downtown Ottawa says the ongoing protest has re-triggered clients who have already experienced trauma — to the point that one woman has sought refuge at a hospital.
Sarah Davis, the shelter’s executive director, said people have harassed clients for wearing masks. She said she herself was yelled at in the face.
“Women are afraid to go out to access their supports and their services,” said Davis.
“The women really are feeling terrorized.”
Cornerstone is the latest group to speak out about what Ottawa’s police chief described as “heavy fear all around” as the protest is almost a week old.
Catherine McKenney, the city councillor for the ward encompassing Centretown, said the situation in residential neighbourhods south of Parliament Hill remained “unsettling and chaotic.”
“We still have trucks that are parked near residents’ homes, blaring horns,” McKenney said, “We’ve got cars driving erratically around neighbourhoods. We have individuals out on the street harassing people.”
McKenney and fellow councillor Mathieu Fleury called on the police and Mayor Jim Watson to ask the RCMP to take over operations on the hill so Ottawa police officers could focus on safety concerns in neighbourhoods to the south.
Police Chief Peter Sloly said his force couldn’t do that, but they would continue to try to help affected residents.
He also said Wednesday policing alone might not solve the ongoing, volatile situation and military aid might be necessary to bring back order.
‘Imprisoned in their shelter’
In anticipation of the tumult, Cornerstone staff secured food for the dozens of shelter residents early. Some workers stayed at the shelter over the weekend, Davis said.
She described one incident with a staffer whose cell phone died while she waited for a bus.
“She came back to the shelter in a bit of a panic, ” Davis said. “She was afraid to be alone at night.”
The last six days have left staff and residents exhausted at a time when the shelter was just resettling into its location following months of repairs and renovations that required temporary new housing for clients, Davis said.
One client has gone to the hospital because of the “lack of reprieve” from the protest, while others are turning to substance abuse, she said.
“With COVID, we have a lack of space and the respite for the women is to be able to go outside and to get fresh air, and they can’t even do that. They’ve now been imprisoned in their shelter.”
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