Head of UCU's Center for the Dignity of the Child Christina Shabat takes part in an international conference in Canada

On May 13-17, St. Paul's University in Ottawa, Canada, hosted an international conference “Save Our Souls! Psychological, Ideological and Spiritual Safeguarding” was held on May 13-17, in which Christina Shabat, director of the UCU Center for the Dignity of the Child, participated.

The cross-cutting theme of the conference was protection from violence from a position of authority/ power - “authority abuse”. Among the speakers were child protection experts, scholars who study vocations in monasteries and the construction of internal subordination, researchers of the diaspora, harassment, workplace violence, spiritual abuse, victim advocates, senators, and others.

Among the conference participants and speakers were many survivors of various types of violence. Now they themselves are in charge of structures that prevent violence and protect against it. There were many discussions around the trauma-informed approach, the place of each person, the response of society, and the lack of fear of speaking up.

Professor Marelle Wolfe, who heads the Child Protection Center at St. Paul's University in Ottawa, summarized the conference:

“Safe! - Save! (Safe – save!)

We are on our way and a secure future is not yet our reality and is not will never be completely. This is why we must, in our thoughts, feelings and actions, replace the “f” with a “v”: “Save!” Do something to achieve the safety objective! As long as we're not there, we stay vulnerable! This V of vulnerability requires the V of saving! We have created a safe environment here, it seems.”
“ (Security - Salvation)

We are on a journey - and a secure future is not yet our reality, and will never be fully realized. That is why we must replace the “f” with a “s” in our thoughts, feelings and actions: “Save!” Do something to achieve safety! As long as we are not there, we remain vulnerable! This “V” of vulnerability requires a “V” of rescue! I think we have created a safe environment here.”

The conference at St. Paul's University in Ottawa takes place every two years. It is organized by the University's Centre for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Persons.

It was at St. Paul's University in Ottawa that the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies operated until 2017, which has now moved to Toronto.