Last week one of the few news items not related to the Trump dumpster fire or the west coast in flames was about the execution of a woman in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Peterborough. The 70-year-old was shot three times by her assailant as she sat in her vehicle, with shoppers in relatively close proximity. We now know that the man who killed her in cold blood was her 73-year-old husband. After shooting her he phoned police, put the handgun on the hood of his vehicle, and smoked a cigarette as he waited calmly for them to arrive.
This is one more chilling example of what is often called "domestic violence." although what was domestic about this killing? As I've said so often, these incidents continue to occur on an alarmingly regular basis, and what we actually hear about are the most sensational situations. Most unfold quietly, and while they may not result in death, they are destructive for both the abused partners and their children. Partner violence isn't restricted to one age group, nor is it dependent on financial circumstances.
We might all ask when we last heard about this issue in our place of worship, whether in a sermon or invitation to greater awareness of the issues, or seeking practical support for shelters and their programs. We can pray and act within our faith communities.
2 comments:
This incident in Peterborough comes as a shock to many, just because we don't like to think this happens outside the big, scary cities. Obviously it happens in even the smallest towns, and I had to deal with a murder/attempted suicide on the job in a very small town in western Canada.
It's a reminder when we are out and about during the day, that although everyone seems to be happy on the outside, certainly everyone carries around their own drama in life - some of it extremely serious.
Very true Roger -- chillingly so.
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