Mental health injuries

Mental health injuries

Topics: 
Harassment, PTSD, Mental health injuries, Self-help
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Many whistleblowers experience harassment and other reprisals that threaten their careers and their livelihood. The stresses that these assaults cause are intolerable and often lead to permanent, debilitating psychological injuries, with symptoms similar to post traumatic stress disorder: chronic depression, insomnia, nightmares and flashbacks, and panic attacks. Some whistleblowers are so devasted by their experience that they resort to suicide.

Few whistleblowers are completely unscathed and even those who suffer no reprisals at all often report that the experience was one of the most stressful of their lives – in part because of uncertainty over the outcome and what might go wrong.

Inquiries into 50 military suicides remain incomplete

Topics: 
National Defence, Mental health injuries
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David Pugliese – May 9, 2013

The Canadian Forces still has not completed inquiries into 50 suicides among military members, some from as far back as five years ago. The military has boards of inquiries under way into the 50 deaths, including four from 2008 and seven from 2009.

Seven boards are still underway for suicides in 2010 and 20 for 2011. The 2011 inquiries include the suicide of corporals in Ottawa and Petawawa. A board of inquiry (BOI) into the suicide of another corporal at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa in December is one of 12 now under way for 2012.

Tories put public servants’ sick leave in sights

Topics: 
Workplace conditions, Harassment, Health care, Mental health injuries
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3

Kathryn May – March 14, 2013

Canada’s public servants are bracing for sweeping changes to their sick leave and disability insurance as the government looks to save millions in rising benefit costs and beef up the wellness and productivity of the workforce.

It’s expected money for the overhaul, which Treasury Board bureaucrats have been working on for several years, will be announced in next week’s budget.

OPP whistleblower still climbing out of dark pit

Topics: 
Policing, PTSD, Whistleblowers, Mental health injuries, Ontario
Rating: 
3
Bruce Kruger

Mark Bonokoski – November 10, 2012

When no one would listen to his cries for help, when countless letters were ignored or sloughed off, Bruce Kruger became an active whistleblower — leading to Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin’s blistering report last month that tore a strip off the OPP. This takes courage.

But Bruce Kruger — retired OPP inspector, recipient of awards for bravery, a cop who gunned down an escaped convict just as he was about to pull the trigger on his trapped partner, first on the scene after a fellow officer was shot thrice between the eyes and left dead in a snowbank, the list of ugliness long and unforgettable — no longer has the courage to sit at a table without facing the entrance with his back against the wall.

Lead investigator says Langridge suicide report was cut and censored

Topics: 
National Defence, Watchdogs, Mental health injuries
Rating: 
4
Matthew Ritco

Chris Cobb – September 14, 2012

Superiors of the lead military investigator in the Stuart Langridge suicide case slashed and censored their subordinate’s final summary of the case, a shocked federal inquiry heard Thursday.

Military Police Complaints Commission lawyer Mark Freiman dropped the bombshell towards the end of a day of dramatic testimony by Sgt. Matthew Ritco, the investigator chosen to handle the Langridge case the day the Afghanistan war veteran hanged himself in March 2008.

RCMP probing whistleblower's harassment claims

Topics: 
Harassment, RCMP, PTSD, Mental health injuries
Rating: 
3

None of Cpl. Catherine Galliford's allegations have been proven so far, RCMP says

CBC News – May 10, 2012

The RCMP says it is investigating claims in a lawsuit launched Wednesday in which Cpl. Catherine Galliford alleges sexual assault and sexual harassment within the force, but investigators have not yet been able to substantiate any of her claims.

Galliford, currently on sick leave, filed a detailed claim, saying she was suffering from severe post traumatic stress disorder due to years of sexual harassment and a number of physical assaults by other RCMP supervisors and colleagues.

Canadian Forces tries to stop injured soldier from speaking out

Topics: 
Veterans Affairs, National Defence, PTSD, Mental health injuries
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Corporal Steven Stoesz

David Pugliese – May 6, 2012

An injured Afghan veteran who spoke out a few days ago about the poor level of health services available to troops has been ordered not to talk to the news media. But on Sunday, Corporal Steven Stoesz ignored that order and went on CTV’s Question Period.

He said mental health professionals at CFB Shilo are overworked and soldiers face a lengthy delay in getting help.“Shilo is overwhelmed,” he said.

Stress injuries a growing problem among vets

Topics: 
Veterans Affairs, PTSD, Mental health injuries
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Ian Munroe – Nov 11, 2011

A month after leading seaman Scott Murphy returned from Kandahar, he can go into his local Wal-Mart without having to scan the crowd for suspected insurgents.

In his case, the symptoms of post-traumatic stress were mild, he says. After leaving Afghanistan, mental health experts with the military warned that he might have a short temper in the following weeks, and told him about the more serious signs of psychological injury to watch out for.

Public Service disability claims soaring

Topics: 
Harassment, Mental health injuries
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Mental health issues account for 47.3% of claims in 2010

Don Butler – June 28, 2011

Disability claims by federal public servants, on a steady rise for more than a decade, spiked last year to an all-time high, as did disabilities linked to mental health conditions.

The grim numbers are outlined in a report on 2010 disability trends prepared by the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union representing many of the disabled workers.

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