As I get older, I find that I get more emotional on December 6th. It's kind of like I've been attending these events since I was a child, sometimes organizing them as an adult, and always, always participating. I feel like I'm growing up, but this is just staying the same. There's still so much violence and hatred towards women and sometimes it feels like it's not getting any better and there's no end in sight.
Two things really get to me about December 6th. The first is my enormous rage, anger, and sadness about violence against women. This year, especially, feels like a banner year for violence against women and girls. I feel like everywhere you can turn and see some Canadian media you are consuming a recent report about violence against a girl or woman. None of these reports analyze the role of gender and say that this was gendered violence, when it is.
Here's a short list of what happened SO FAR this year, and what about it is shaking me to the core:
1. Last winter Canadian news was scandalized
with the arrest of Col. Russell Williams. Details aside, he was charged with two first degree murder charges (and later he faced a total of 88 charges) and within the first 24 hours of his arrest, the media and his "supporters" reported that "he's such a great guy", a "community leader", and an "upstanding gentleman". The court case began and raged on and this man has been put to jail and an arduous court case for the murder of two (young) women. The
majority of the news around his case focused on his sexual deviance, rather than the fact that our society continues to allow these mother fucking men to rise to positions of power in our institutions. There needs to be better screening to ensure that men are aware of their role as possible misogynists and violence makers, and institutions need to give men the space to have a different take on women (rather than to just continue with the traditional patriarchy). Of course Williams was in the wrong and did terrible terrible things, but why can't we also hold the institution that encourages patriarchal behaviour to also be responsible? huh?
2.
The spring brought us the death of Kimberly Proctor. 18 year old high schooler from Victoria who's burned remains were found adjacent to the Victoria regional trail, the gallopping goose. Was it intentional? Was it a homicide? Was it a random act of violence? no one knew! And then in the early fall the real truth began to be heard in the news. An ex boyfriend and a friend fucking LURED her to their house where they killed her, put her body in a fucking duffel bag, put some gasoline in the duffel bag, CARRIED HER BODY ON THE CITY BUS, and took her to the trail where they burned her.
This one is probably the most jarring for me from this year. First, people in Proctor's family and community IMMEDIATELY realized she was missing (that made the news within a day). She had deviated from her regular routine, she was last seen at a bus stop, etc. People cared that she went missing; responsible adults knew her routine and were concerned when it became different. And they should've been. These boys (16 and 17 at the time of the death) obviously did not have responsible adults in their lives (or the accomplice's lives). Who's house did they take her to? Was one of these boys living outside of his parent's house? So, if he had his own house, was MCFD involved? HOW COME NO ONE HEARD ANY OF THIS GOING ON WHEN IT WAS HAPPENING? Also, we obviously live in a fucked up world if these boys are using facebook and email to carry out this detailed and meditated plan to murder this young woman. Planning it for a year? And, they took her body on the city bus? There was probably a good 36 hour period where these boys weren't interrupted. Where are responsible adults (teacher? why the fuck weren't they in school? why weren't the teachers calling the house looking for the kids? why didn't the bus driver question the large bag? and why wasn't kimberly proctor told never to trust any boy EVER?)
3. Oh September! The leaves slowly begin to change, the sun sets earlier in the day, and kids go back to school, and
have parties where they gang rape their classmates, take pictures and put them on facebook. I'm not sure how many ways we can say this isn't cool, it's unacceptable, and it's RIDICULOUS that these young men are allowed to have this sort of social behaviour without getting immediately blacklisted from school, their communities, and the earth. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THEIR WORLDS THAT IS TELLING THEM THAT THIS BEHAVIOUR IS A-OK? If you know someone in high school (or are in high school) you need to immediately tell them about this happening and tell them why it is wrong. a) you never hurt ANYONE like this for any reason, b) use social media responsibly!, c) respect women/girls and other marginalized and oppressed peoples! JERKS!
4. Most recently a
number of young women have been murdered in our old stomping grounds, Prince George. And even more recently the murder of a
15 year old girl in Fort St James. I'm still not emotionally mature enough to deal with, or even begin to theorize and work towards dealing with the death of women in the north. So, I have nothing angry or helpful to say, except FUCK YOU PATRIARCHY.
Now I'm tired, worked up, etc. I have all these rants and suggestions for Capital F Feminism for making December 6th more effective, but I don't think I can get there right now (too much stuff to doooooooooo). Maybe next year? Or, just find a copy of my thesis :) XO
