Hello everyone,

I wanted to share an important update — and a bigger conversation.

I’ve taken a stand by pressing criminal harassment charges against Michael Pierson after months of repeated abuse. The response has been loud — and yet, it’s also part of a much deeper pattern.

My experience isn’t unique — it’s reflective of what countless survivors face daily within family court, law enforcement, and child protection systems that repeatedly fail to believe or support them.

Why This Matters More Than My Case

Trauma is often dismissed in family court. As Justice Canada found, survivors of family violence are frequently expected to “move on” — even when plotting a future means ensuring safety for themselves and their children.  

Reporting abuse often leads to re-traumatization. Survivors describe secondary victimization—being disbelieved, blamed, or invalidated by the very systems designed to protect them.  

Systemic myths deny experiences. Family court often labels survivors as liars or desperate, using “parental alienation” theories to dismiss genuine concerns.  

Mental health consequences are common. In Canadian shelters, 36% of women report mental health issues as their greatest struggle, and 12% of young survivors show signs of PTSD.  

A Call to Action

This isn’t only about me — it’s about the thousands of survivors who’ve been silenced, who’ve been forced into trauma just to be heard.

We’re calling for:

• Trauma-informed training for judges, paralegals, police, and family services
• Greater belief and protection mechanisms for survivors in court
• Safe, non-punitive support systems that prioritize well-being, not punishment

Let’s remember the words of justice scholar SL Washington:

“The concept of a survivor’s ‘lack of insight’ into their own abuse is a form of epistemic injustice.”

Survivors’ experiences are invalidated by power structures that refuse to hear their truth.   

This petition stands for survivors who’ve been gaslit, ignored, or dismissed — and it stands for the children and families fighting to be safe.

Thank you for showing up, for signing, and for amplifying these voices.

If you can, a small donation would be greatly appreciated and would get this petition in front of so many people.

— Tina Pierson