Being Accountable

A Saint -Hyacinthe women today lost her life from being stabbed by her partner. She was 29 years old and a mother to a two and four year old. The children witnessed the stabbing. How despicable is this. How out raged and sick was the partner to commit this heinous crime in front of the very young children, let alone commit this crime at all.

Earlier this week a 25 year old Montreal women was stabbed by her boyfriend. Enough already with these stabbings. I've said it before and I will say it again, crimes with knives are used more than guns to commit murder. The government is not going to put a ban on knives. What are we going to do about this? You know I am not going to sit back and take it. We need to be accountable to work together to educate the youth and create awareness amongst men and women.

Here are some ideas to help you get started. You may be involved with the youth or are in a position in the workplace that allows you to create programs for your workers. Maybe you belong to a church group or organization and are able to create a forum amongst your peers or students. Here are some of my ideas that I hope schools, organizations, workplaces will consider doing to build awareness.

1. Do not be silent. We all have an opinion, voice it. Create discussions with your entourage about violence against women and children. Talk about domestic abuse. Thank goodness the children who witnessed their mother being stabbed were were not murdered nor hurt, but emotional they are scared for life and no longer have a mother.
2. Create conferences and workshops in yours schools or workplaces about abuse. Call your local police department or women's shelter to get started. Invite representatives to come and speak about violence and discuss preventive measures and the signs of domestic abuse.
3. Educate your children. Boys should grow up understanding how to respect people especially girls. Girls need to be informed that there is no shame in making a bad choice and that they do not have to be tied into a relationship that is riddled with abuse.
4. Lead by example...what is love and how do you show love to your children. Girls need to understand that being slapped around and bullied by a boyfriend is not love. I was horrified today as I sat in the car waiting for Jules to pick up a coffee at Tim Hortons's. A women was dragging her little boy into her car. As she was opening the car door,she was yelling at him and calling him an asshole. He was maybe 5 years old. What message is that little boy getting? What kind of young man will he turn into? Gosh I hope the mother reads this blog.
5. Create a fundraiser for a women's shelter....collect clothes,money,toys and ask to visit the shelter.It is when you go into that environment, you can gain a better understanding as to why the women and children are there and what their needs are.
6.Lobby your governments for change. Presently, I am doing that. It's about being passionate in what you believe in. Prepare a presentation, show some stats, explain why a law should be change and how it will benefit others. If one person does not what to listen to you,go to the next. That is what I have done and most importantly...follow up. Don't be shy to call and up and say .."hey remember me, what's happening with my proposal".
7. Again, it is silence that kills women and children.

' As loud as violence is in the privacy of one's home, it is so silent for the women who women who suffers at the hands of these men."

Doreen Haddad-Drummond