Jun. 11, 2008 - Issue #660: Hot Summer Guide 2008
Issues - Garneau Sisterhood organizing in response to sexual assaults
Following the recent string of sexual assaults in the Garneau area
perpetrated by a man breaking into women’s homes when they are alone
at night, women in the area are being warned to “lock their doors and
windows” to stay safe. Not only will tips like this not keep us safe,
they perpetuate a culture of fear. Women in the area would like to issue
their own warning ... to the perpetrator: we are organizing and we are
channeling our fear.
According to the Criminal Code of Canada, sexual assault is any form of
sexual contact without voluntary consent, including situations where
non-voluntary consent is obtained through pressure, coercion, force or
threats of force. According to many dominant narratives, women should be
able to avoid these situations if we follow certain tips: don’t walk
home alone at night, don’t wear “provocative” clothing,
don’t put down your drink at the bar, don’t engage in
“risky” behaviour.
Growing up in a violent, patriarchal culture we are used to continuously
being reminded of these tips and we can believe—consciously or
subconsciously—that many of them will keep us safe. And yet we know
that these tips assume that the perpetrator will be a stranger. We know
that only about two per cent of sexual assaults are assaults by a stranger
and that the overwhelming majority are perpetrated by partners, family
members or co-workers. These tips do not guarantee safety from these people
we know, particularly in situations of unequal power, such as in the case
of sexual assault of children by adults.
Perhaps we cling to these tips because it’s what we’ve always
been told. Or because we need that idea of safety, of being able to protect
ourselves. We need to get through the day and keep living.
On the other hand, we really do need to keep living! Why should women have
a curfew? Why should our fear dictate our clothing choices, our types of
transportation, our sexuality? It’s okay to be angry about this,
because it can make us feel helpless and disempowered.
It is unacceptable that the responsibility to try to prevent these crimes
continues to fall to women. Women are expected to live in fear and act
accordingly—”lock your doors and windows.”
The articles and police reports regarding the Garneau attacks say the women were in their homes and the man “broke into them.” Doesn't that mean the women had already locked their doors? Sleeping in one’s home at night isn't exactly risky behaviour. These articles never say that in our current society, male violence is accepted, even encouraged. That we live in a toxic society where sex and violence are conflated. That trauma like this is psychologically oppressing an entire community of women.
So, how do we actually deal with this problem?
We must begin from the fact that stopping sexual assault and ending rape
culture is the responsibility of everyone in the community, not just the
women.
We must truly acknowledge the astounding prevalence of rape in our culture. Truly take a moment to let it sink in that one in four women, and one in eight men, will experience sexual assualt in their lifetime.
We must start questioning the behaviour of the offenders instead of that of the survivors.
We must start talking about sexual assault so more people will come forward and feel believed. Through this we will break the silence and stop perpetrators from thinking they can get away with it.
The message from this community to the perpetrator of these heinous crimes is simple: we are watching you.
A lot of brilliant women all thinking about the same thing at the same time is very powerful. We do not have to blame ourselves or quietly accept this violent reality. As Inga Muscio says, women can be kicked when we are down, but no one is stupid or strong enough to kick us when we are standing up, all together.
If a woman is raped, other women react. We understand there is no such thing as an isolated attack on an individual woman. All women are us. When a sister is raped, it is a rape of the sisterhood and cannot go unpunished. No one feels “lucky” that it was “some other woman” who got raped. There is no such thing as “some other woman” when you have compassion and love for yourself.
We may feel powerless, but we are not powerless. The women in this neighbourhood are organizing. The Garneau Sisterhood is watching.
If you have any tips that you would like to disclose regarding the identity of the perpetrator, please email us at garneau.sisterhood@gmail.com. V
Garneau Sisterhood is a group of fiesty concerned citizens in the Garneau area and the larger Edmonton community who are organizing and mobilizing to catch the most recent serial rapist in the neighbourhood, challenge the culture of violence and reclaim safe spaces for women in their communities.
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