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Women’s groups unhappy with Eskimos’ choice of new general manager

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Groups that assist women affected by violence or sexual assault have criticised the Canadian football league team Edmonton Eskimos for hiring Eric Tillman as their general manager, two years after he pleaded guilty to sexually touching a babysitter in his home.

Both the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton and Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters said the decision to hire Tillman as general manager sent the wrong message to the community, victims of assault and thousands of fans who look up to those involved in professional sports.

“When you look at our community’s standards, this is not a good message,” said Jan Reimer, co-ordinator of Alberta’s women’s shelters. “We’ve been working hard for a long time around the idea that professional sports figures are role models for young men, and there are many questions about him being a role model.”

It is disappointing that the Eskimos have made this decision, but at the same time it’s heartening to see women’s groups building up pressure on them to focus on sending strong, public messages that speak out about all forms of violence against women “not only in words but also in action.”

Read the report in the Edmonton Journal.

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