The 13 members of the allegedly misogynistic Facebook group created by Dalhousie University dentistry students will be able to graduate with their classmates, according to a final report released from the school.
The report concluded the members’ participation in the restorative justice process qualified them to be allowed to meet the regular clinical standards required to graduate.
The restorative justice process took place over a period of approximately five months, including 12 of the 13 members of the Facebook group along with 17 other students, 14 of them female.
A group statement released by 12 of the 13 members of the Facebook group acknowledged the significance of the process.
“Through the restorative justice process we are doing the work required to be sorry – to confront the harms we have caused, to accept our responsibility, to figure out what is needed of us to make things right, and to gain the knowledge, skills and capacities to be trusted healthcare professionals,” it said.
The university has not revealed the names of the 12 males involved in the scandal, and won’t say how many are graduating. The final member, Ryan Millet, blew the whistle on the group and is the only one to come forward to the media.
The restorative justice process has raised some questions for those who believe the university is not conducting a thorough investigation into the issue.
An open letter to the school’s president by four anonymous students condemned the university in January for not appropriately addressing their concerns.
Beau Welter, outreach co-ordinator with Carleton University’s Sexual Assault Support Centre, explained the process may actually be more beneficial than a formal investigation.
“Seeing a major institution take the lead of survivors and actually take an approach that can impact long-term, meaningful change for both perpetrators and survivors is really refreshing to see,” she said. “This approach works towards changing core beliefs and attitudes of perpetrators, instead of punitive measures which often end up fueling misogynistic and sexist attitudes instead of creating change.”
