Jeanne Sarson and Linda MacDonald on the need for a provincial inquiry with a feminist lens focused on confronting the degrees of men’s violence, including femicides, inflicted against women. “An inquiry must stay local—be voiced locally—to extend healing support and provide a local say in re-designing a non-violent culture for our future.” TW: descriptions of misogynist torture and other acts of male violence against women and children.
Petition: “I respectfully demand a full, public inquiry into the Nova Scotia shootings; an inquiry centered around a feminist analysis. We will never put an end to something we refuse to see.”
Open letter signed by 33 Law Professors at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law urging the premier to hold a public inquiry into the horrifying events in central Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19. “In a modern democracy committed to state accountability, an internal investigation will not suffice.”
“This is what haunts us – the knowledge that women and children are trapped or captive in the safe at home COVID-19 directive, struggling to survive acts of violence that amounts to torture,” write Jeanne Sarson and Linda MacDonald, co-founders of Persons Against Non-State Torture (NST). “How are we to care for all trapped in the shadow pandemic of violence against women and children that the COVID-19 pandemic has unsilenced?”
Judy Haiven looks at the similarities between two recent mass shootings in Nova Scotia. “The RCMP still speaks about “domestic violence” as a set of one-off incidents. It’s time that the public demand more from the RCMP when they deal with these horrible crimes against women and children.”
Robyn Bourgeois: “Addressing mass murder means taking a hard look at white masculinity and the normalization of violence. It requires that we refuse to dismiss mass murderers as mentally defective or a few “bad apples.” Instead, we must understand that the entire system of white masculinity is rotten. Because until we do, aggrieved white men will continue to commit mass murder and we will all continue to pay the price.”
Media release: Women’s Shelters Canada is asking for the RCMP and the federal government to acknowledge the gendered aspect of this weekend’s mass shooting in Nova Scotia.
The current complaint system at the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission doesn’t seem to be working. Those who have been traumatized by racism, sexism and hate seem to be re-victimized.
Judy Haiven takes a look Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board, and finds patronage and some godawful judges.
“The fact is that even speaking openly about rebelling against men, against husbands, against fathers, against bosses – can be dangerous. Maybe not a capital offence, but an offence nonetheless—with often violent repercussions,” writes Judy Haiven.