Apologies to Steven Galloway

In November 2015, I communicated with others within the UBC community about serious and unproven allegations I had heard from A.B. concerning Steven Galloway. I became involved without having heard Mr. Galloway’s side of the story. Between 2016 and 2017, I posted tweets that referred to, repeated, or commented on those allegations.

I was also involved in UBC’s investigation into Mr. Galloway by collecting and soliciting complaints from others after UBC, Keith Maillard, Annabel Lyon and A.B. requested that I do so. In soliciting these complaints, I was attempting to build a case against Mr. Galloway – the complaints were solicited with the intention of bolstering the credibility of A.B.’s allegations and building other allegations against Mr. Galloway.

I now recognize that my communications and tweets contributed to the circulation of the very serious and unproven allegations about Mr. Galloway and have caused others to believe that I knew those allegations to be true or that I had information confirming them, particularly because I had been taught by Mr. Galloway for many years, later participated in UBC’s investigation into the allegations against him, and continued to participate online in discourse relating to Mr. Galloway and/or UBC Accountable. I want to be clear that I do not have that information. I am aware that Mr. Galloway firmly denies the allegations and has sued over them and that former BC Supreme Court Justice Mary Ellen Boyd, the only independent, impartial professional UBC retained to consider the allegations, determined the allegations were unsubstantiated. I accept these findings, as well as the findings that the ancillary allegations I solicited were without merit.

Because I did not know if the allegations were true, I should not have communicated them in November 2015 or posted publicly on Twitter about Mr. Galloway, the UBC investigation, and/or UBC Accountable in a way that could be understood as saying or implying that the allegations I heard from A.B. against Mr. Galloway are true, or that I had personal knowledge supporting them. I retract my November 2015 communications and my subsequent tweets to the extent they stated, repeated, or implied that the allegations against Mr. Galloway were true. I recognize that statements and communications about allegations of this nature can cause profound harm to a person’s reputation, work, personal life, and family, and did in fact do so to Mr. Galloway. I deeply regret my role in contributing to the harm Mr. Galloway has suffered in this regard.

I also recognize that it was procedurally unfair to Mr. Galloway and damaging to his reputation for me, as someone who was not independent (as a former student of Mr. Galloway’s, a friend of A.B. at the time, and with a bias in having approached the role with an assumption he had committed the offenses) and with no experience in participating in institutional investigations to collect and solicit complaints, particularly in a manner that repeated A.B. allegations against Mr. Galloway. Additionally, I should not have listened only to one side, or allowed that one-sided understanding to shape my communications, my tweets, or my participation in the process. I also should not have allowed my own past negative experiences with others, or my experience learning about and working on issues of sexual violence, to cloud my judgment or prevent me from giving Mr. Galloway fair consideration.

My understanding of, and approach to, the “believe women” movement was misguided. I should have understood that supporting people who come forward about sexual violence does not require, and cannot justify, acting in ways that may lead others to conclude that unproven allegations are true or failing to give the person accused a fair opportunity to be heard and considered. My position at the time was that an allegation was all that a person should require to come to the conclusion that an accused person was guilty, and I accused those who disagreed with this of doing harm to survivors. Everyone deserves fairness, including Mr. Galloway, who was the subject of very serious allegations. I recognize that my involvement in the UBC investigation was unfair to Mr. Galloway and has contributed to the harm he has suffered. I am sorry for that.

Since these events, I have taken down my Twitter account and have reflected on the harm caused by my communications, my tweets, and my role in these events. I now understand that my conduct was serious and harmful. I sincerely apologize to Mr. Galloway and to his family for the distress, damage, and hardship my communications and tweets have caused, and for my role in contributing to the harm he has suffered and continues to suffer.

In response to Mr. Galloway’s action to defend his reputation, I participated in bringing proceedings seeking a dismissal of the action. In those proceedings, I advanced and maintained the position that this case was about broader issues concerning the treatment of sexual assault complainants and the protection of those who come forward with allegations of sexual violence. Those arguments were rejected by both the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the British Columbia Court of Appeal in publicly reported decisions. I subsequently sought leave to appeal those decisions to the Supreme Court of Canada, and leave was denied. Looking back, I now recognize that my participation in advancing and maintaining those arguments over many years contributed to a narrative that distracted from the central issue in this litigation and further caused Mr. Galloway harm. I failed to appreciate that Mr. Galloway brought his action in order to defend himself against serious allegations of sexual assault and to vindicate his reputation.

I have also reflected on Mr. Galloway’s steadfast efforts over many years to defend and restore his reputation. As Mr. Galloway’s action has progressed, I have reviewed the evidence he produced in the litigation and have come to better understand the basis for his position and his determination to respond to and defend himself against serious allegations of sexual assault. While I did not know whether the allegations against Mr. Galloway were true at the time (and therefore should not have made the statements that I did), I now better appreciate why Mr. Galloway has remained committed to clearing his name and protecting his reputation. I also recognize the significant personal and professional toll that these allegations, and the years of litigation that followed, have had on him and his family, as well as those who have attempted to support his right to a fair process.

I am aware that prior to A.B. making these allegations, Mr. Galloway considered me a friend and had on multiple occasions gone out of his way to help me, with nothing asked in return. In my 2014 book I thanked him as someone “who encouraged me to commit to writing at a very important time in my life.” That was a true statement.

I know that nothing I say now can undo the harm or give back the years affected by these events, but I am genuinely sorry for the part I played in causing that harm.

Sincerely, Chelsea Rooney

In January of 2018, I posted two tweets that conveyed to readers, as a statement of fact, that Mr. Galloway had committed sexual assault of a student. I acknowledge that making such a statement about a person is a serious matter.

I sincerely apologize to Mr. Galloway for making and publishing those statements and expressly retract them. I also apologize for the harm, distress, and damage that my statements caused to Mr. Galloway and his family. I regret having made those statements and offer this apology unreservedly.

Sincerely, Brit Bachmann

In August of 2018 I published a review of an art exhibit which addressed unproven allegations of sexualized violence in an online magazine.

I understand that my review was widely interpreted as referring to Steven Galloway and implying that he had committed sexual assault. Steven Galloway has strongly denied these allegations.

I further understand that the allegations of serious sexualized violence made against Steven Galloway were investigated by a retired judge and, on a balance of probabilities, found not to have occurred.

I acknowledge that alleging that Mr. Galloway committed sexual assault is a serious matter, and I apologize to Mr. Galloway for the harm, distress, and damage my words have caused.

Sincerely, Theresa Smalec

In January of 2018, I posted two tweets that conveyed to readers, as a statement of fact, that Mr. Galloway had committed sexual assault. I acknowledge that making such statements about a person is a serious matter. I expressly retract them. I sincerely apologize to Mr. Galloway for making and publishing those statements. I also apologize for the harm, distress, and damage that my statements caused to Mr. Galloway and his family. I regret having made those statements and offer this apology unreservedly.

Sincerely, Kiera Anderson

Dear Mr. Galloway,

I am writing to you directly in the spirit of resolution and to express a sincere apology regarding the tweet I posted on January 8th, 2018 concerning your termination from UBC where I summarized the reasons for your termination being “sexual assault”. I unequivocally retract my statement.

You have endured a very public ordeal and I recognize that I spoke about a situation I did not fully understand. I should not have commented on matters that were deeply personal to you and more complex than I appreciated at the time.

I deleted my Twitter in April 2018 for unrelated reasons. I have learned a difficult lesson about speaking on matters I have not thoroughly researched.

I am genuinely sorry for the harm my tweet caused you. I hope you will accept this apology and that we can bring this matter to a close so that we may both move forward.

Sincerely, Ari Rombough

In March and May of 2017 I engaged in two academic panel discussions about the UBC Accountable debate. In connection with those two panels, I made statements that were taken to imply that Steven Galloway committed criminal sexual assault. I did not mean to accuse Mr. Galloway of a criminal offence, and I did not mean to imply or accuse him of any specific acts of physical violence. I am aware that Mr. Galloway firmly denies any such allegations and has sued over them. I retract my statements and regret the harm they have caused to Mr. Galloway and his family.

Sincerely, Marcel Kosman