Earl Silverman, who ran men’s safe house, dies in apparent suicide | Canada | News | National Post
The man who created Canada’s only shelter dedicated solely to male victims of domestic violence died on Friday of an apparent suicide.
The day after he packed up his recently sold home — also the site of the Men’s Alternative Safe House — Earl Silverman was found hanging in his garage.
Mr. Silverman closed his shelter last month, saying he could no longer afford its upkeep. He long sought funding from provincial and federal governments to help run his hybrid shelter and home, but believed he was always refused because the space was dedicated to helping male victims and their children. He said he was unable to pay for heat and grocery bills.
Steven Howitt purchased Mr. Silverman’s house and said he helped the advocate move his belongings on Thursday.
“I couldn’t have predicted this. I got the sense that he was pretty frustrated that the shelter didn’t work out. He was frustrated with the government that he didn’t get any help,” Mr. Howitt said on Saturday.
Mr. Silverman told the house’s new tenant that he had plans to stay with friends in other parts of the country.
Mr. Howitt came back to the house the next day and found only Mr. Silverman’s roommate.
“We got talking about keys and he said, ‘I think this is the garage, and this is the front door and what not,” Mr. Howitt said. “I said I would go try the garage but the door was already open. That’s when I found him there.”
Mr. Howitt said they called for help, but it was far too late.
Mr. Silverman’s brown house in an established neighbourhood of northeast Calgary held little more than a few white boxes and a backyard stuffed with torn single mattresses and old bedroom furniture from his shelter.
He was frustrated with the government that he didn’t get any help
Several weeks ago, he told the Post that he himself had been the victim of abuse at the hands of his ex-wife. His experience inspired him to become involved in Men’s Rights Groups and MASH.
“When I went into the community looking for some support services, I couldn’t find any. There were a lot for women, and the only programs for men were for anger management,” Mr. Silverman told the Post shortly before his death. “As a victim, I was re-victimized by having these services telling me that I wasn’t a victim, but I was a perpetrator.”
After he left his wife more than 20 years ago, Mr. Silverman said he spiralled into self abuse, living on Johnnie Walker and cigarettes. “I basically tried to commit suicide, because I couldn’t do anything.”
Mr. Silverman was a well-known and outspoken member of the mens’ rights community. His death has sparked outrage and sadness among those who are pushing for greater recognition of mens’ issues in law and family court.
An online radio station called A Voice For Men broadcast a tribute to Mr. Silverman on Saturday night, said James Huff, the director of operations.
“He meant a lot to those in Canada specifically,” Mr. Huff said. “He was the only person in Canada who had the dream of doing what he did. He was the only guy to recognize a problem with the fact that men were not receiving the type of support they needed to overcome domestic violence situations.”
In his note, Mr. Silverman also said he hoped his death would bring more awareness to the issue of male abuse.
He left no family.
The man who created Canada’s only shelter dedicated solely to male victims of domestic violence died on Friday of an apparent suicide.
The day after he packed up his recently sold home — also the site of the Men’s Alternative Safe House — Earl Silverman was found hanging in his garage.
Mr. Silverman closed his shelter last month, saying he could no longer afford its upkeep. He long sought funding from provincial and federal governments to help run his hybrid shelter and home, but believed he was always refused because the space was dedicated to helping male victims and their children. He said he was unable to pay for heat and grocery bills.
Steven Howitt purchased Mr. Silverman’s house and said he helped the advocate move his belongings on Thursday.
“I couldn’t have predicted this. I got the sense that he was pretty frustrated that the shelter didn’t work out. He was frustrated with the government that he didn’t get any help,” Mr. Howitt said on Saturday.
Mr. Silverman told the house’s new tenant that he had plans to stay with friends in other parts of the country.
Mr. Howitt came back to the house the next day and found only Mr. Silverman’s roommate.
“We got talking about keys and he said, ‘I think this is the garage, and this is the front door and what not,” Mr. Howitt said. “I said I would go try the garage but the door was already open. That’s when I found him there.”
Mr. Howitt said they called for help, but it was far too late.
Mr. Silverman’s brown house in an established neighbourhood of northeast Calgary held little more than a few white boxes and a backyard stuffed with torn single mattresses and old bedroom furniture from his shelter.
He was frustrated with the government that he didn’t get any help
Several weeks ago, he told the Post that he himself had been the victim of abuse at the hands of his ex-wife. His experience inspired him to become involved in Men’s Rights Groups and MASH.
“When I went into the community looking for some support services, I couldn’t find any. There were a lot for women, and the only programs for men were for anger management,” Mr. Silverman told the Post shortly before his death. “As a victim, I was re-victimized by having these services telling me that I wasn’t a victim, but I was a perpetrator.”
After he left his wife more than 20 years ago, Mr. Silverman said he spiralled into self abuse, living on Johnnie Walker and cigarettes. “I basically tried to commit suicide, because I couldn’t do anything.”
Mr. Silverman was a well-known and outspoken member of the mens’ rights community. His death has sparked outrage and sadness among those who are pushing for greater recognition of mens’ issues in law and family court.
An online radio station called A Voice For Men broadcast a tribute to Mr. Silverman on Saturday night, said James Huff, the director of operations.
“He meant a lot to those in Canada specifically,” Mr. Huff said. “He was the only person in Canada who had the dream of doing what he did. He was the only guy to recognize a problem with the fact that men were not receiving the type of support they needed to overcome domestic violence situations.”
In his note, Mr. Silverman also said he hoped his death would bring more awareness to the issue of male abuse.
He left no family.
