A National Day of Remembrance

On December 6, we remember:

• Geneviève Bergeron
• Hélène Colgan
• Nathalie Croteau
• Barbara Daigneault
• Anne-Marie Edward
• Maud Haviernick
• Maryse Laganière
• Maryse Leclair
• Anne-Marie Lemay
• Sonia Pelletier
• Michèle Richard
• Annie St-Arneault
• Annie Turcotte
• Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz

This is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. December 6th marks the 35th anniversary of the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal in 1989. A gunman walked into a classroom full of innocent young women with bright futures and killed 14 of them. He had been rejected by the same school so chose violence as his recourse, shouting "I hate feminists" during his rampage. In his suicide note he blamed women for ruining his life. 

Some of you are aware from past years that I was part of the organizing group for a sombre vigil held a couple of evening later at one of the other United Churches in Sudbury. The attack and the vigil took place literally half a lifetime ago for me and I was a dad to two daughters, ages four and two. 

While this massacre happened in a public place and was perpetrated by a stranger we have been reminded during this month that the vast majority of what is often referred to now as femicides take place in homes and are committed by intimate partners. In Canada that happens, on average, every second day. The global statistics are horrendous. According to the UN

An estimated 140 women and girls across the world die at the hands of their partner or family member every day, according to new global estimates on femicide by the UN. 

The report by UN Women found 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally by men in 2023, with 60% (51,100) of these deaths committed by someone close to the victim. The organisation said its figures showed that, globally, the most dangerous place for a woman to be was in her home, where the majority of women die at the hands of men.

While these statistics are a bleak reminder of the danger of being a woman is real around the globe, including here in Canada, a supposedly advanced society. We need to keep in mind that countless women live in fear of violence, physical and psychological. 

When Ruth, my wife, was employed as an outreach worker in a shelter for women and children leaving abusive situations, many days involved conversations with women who were desperate to leave their partners but didn't know how to do safely or where to go. She felt fortunate that she never had a client who was killed but lots of them lived under constant threat of violence or murder if they attempted to leave, a femicide of the spirit. 

You may be aware that the Ontario government has been dragging its feet in addressing Bill 173: The Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act, 2024. Today 150 gender-based violence) sector and advocacy organizations (including the one where Ruth worked) have come together to issue an open letter urging Ontario's Premier and members of the legislature to prioritize and pass this into law. There have been 62 femicides in Ontario so far this year. Here is a link to the letter

https://www.ywcatoronto.org/takeaction/deputations/the-intimate-partner-violence-epidemic-act-2024

We've had our sign on the lawn since November 25th, aware that neighbours have family members whose have experienced partner violence. We need the reminders that this violence occurs, including withing church families.