Anniversary of École Polytechnique massacre sparks discussion on preventing gender-based violence
Violence Against Women #ViolenceAgainstWomen
Tuesday is the 33rd anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre, when 14 female students in Montreal were shot and killed by a man who said he hated feminists.
Malin Enström, who researches and advocates against gender-based violence in Newfoundland and Labrador, says it’s a harrowing day. But she also says it provides the opportunity to reflect on and discuss a pertinent issue affecting many in the province.
“It’s a very emotional day, of course,” said Enström, the associate director of Iris Kirby House in St. John’s, a shelter for women and children experiencing abuse. “It’s also a reminder that a lot more needs to be done, that we’re not doing enough.”
Enström says the Iris Kirby House in St. John’s has had 116 intakes from April 1 to Dec. 6 this year. In November, Michelle Greene, the executive director of the shelter, said the organization was inundated with demand this year, forcing them to turn away about 267 others.
Enström said Iris Kirby House was at full capacity earlier this week but some residents have recently found homes, freeing up some rooms at the shelter — but that could change within an hour, “which I think speaks volumes to the climate that we have right now in terms of violence against women and children being on the uprise,” she said.
Enström says some changes have been made to help support victims of gender-based violence since Dec. 6, 1989, when the massacre took place. However, she says much more needs to be done.
Holding men accountable for violent acts and talking about violence as a learned behaviour as opposed to something inevitable are two ways to address and prevent gender-based violence, she said.
Enström says teaching children about consent and providing them with the tools to move forward in healthy relationships is a crucial piece of the puzzle.
“I think it comes down to teaching our children about healthy relationships,” said Enström. “There’s this saying that if we take care of our children, we don’t have to fix some of the broken adults.”
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey tweeted Tuesday the names of the 14 women killed in the massacre.
“On this National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women,” said Furey in the tweet, “let us never forget the 14 women murdered at L’Ecole Polytechnique and the important work we must all do to prevent and end gender-based violence.”
Interim NDP Leader Jim Dinn said in a press release Tuesday that the government needs to do more to address gender-based violence. He says the intake and turn-away statistics from Iris Kirby House from April to September are “jarring.”
“We know that the rising cost of living and the housing shortage is putting pressure on families,” said Dinn in the release. “We call on government to increase funding to shelters, housing and transition houses and ensure women fleeing violence can find safe shelter.”
A vigil honouring the victims and survivors of the massacre is being held at the Memorial University engineering building in St. John’s at 6 p.m. NT Tuesday.