Shelter Appeals Human Rights Ruling

[VANCOUVER, BC] - Vancouver's Rape Relief Shelter is appealing a B.C. Human Rights ruling that a transsexual should have been allowed to counsel rape victims.

The shelter wants the B.C. Supreme Court to review the decision that said Kimberley Nixon's dignity was injured when she was denied work as a volunteer counsellor.

The shelter's Suzanne Jay says Nixon was a man for 33 years before his sex-change operation and that makes a difference.

She says the life experience of being treated as a girl and a women is a necessary qualification for peer counselling.

Jay says the rape relief centre also wants the court to review the $7,500 damage award.

It's the highest award ever given by the B.C. tribunal for hurt feelings.

While Jay says she knows this court action will cost her organization, they're fighting to protect women's rights.

Copyright 2002 Canadian Press