melanie | Carpenter OPINION - BY HEATHER J. WOOD What would really be a fitting tribute to the memory of Melanie Carpenter? After weeks of media manipulation and hysteria, we seem to have lost sight of the realities of violence and sexual violence against women and children. First, we should consider the statistics. Eighty percent of murders are committed by family members or acquaintances. Less than one per- cent of parolees commit violent crimes (a statis- tic The Vancouver Sun quietly reported at the same time at it was profiting from is sensational- ist coverage of the Capenter tragedy). And finally, a full 70% of female victims of violence are victimized by SOMEONE THEY KNOW: a boyfriend, a co-worker, an ex-lover, a husband, a father, a friend. The myth of the evil stranger in the bushes or in dark alleys is pervasive in our culture, but it is still largely a myth. After all, society would rather not believe that the “nice” doctor would molest his female patients, that the attractive, heroic sports star would brutally assault his wife or that a fine, upstanding member of the busi- ness community would repeatedly rape his three year old daughter. We would rather think that such crimes are only committed by anti-social, rootless, amoral, faceless “criminals.” If we cling to the “evil stranger” myth; we don’t have to work at changing our society. We can go about our business and forget about the prostitute murdered by her john or viciously beaten by her pimp. Be can disregard a 45 year old woman’s revelations that her father molested her throughout childhood as simply “false memory syndrome.” And we can easily dismiss the college student’s claim of rape if she once dated the perpetrator. The evil stranger myth also prevents us from taking a closer look at how rape and child sexual abuse cases are investigated and pros- ecuted. Why would we need to make it easier for women and children to bring their abusive fathers, uncles, friends and neighbors to justice, when we think that only “sex offenders” rape and only “pedophiles” molest children? If I look at the experiences of the people around me, most experienced violence at the hands of individuals they knew. A dear friend was assaulted by a former lover (an ex-cop!), my mother was physically and sexually abused by her father, my partner was anally raped as a child by a family friend, and when I was attend- ing my “nice,” private high school, a schoolmate was shot and killed by her obsessive ex-boy- friend. The list, unfortunately, does go on. If our outrage at Melanie Capenter’s murder is to truly spearhead change, then it should be change that has meaning for all of us. My reading of the “Yellow Ribbon- Melanie” campaign is that it is only targeting that mythi- cal “evil stranger,” and not those who every day beat, rape or abuse women and children. And I If we cling to the “evil myth; we don’t have to work at changing our society. + ay DMA wh have to be suspicious of any campaign that has been led by the Reform Party. Only a couple of months ago, that same party was disputing the Statistics of wife-abuse, claiming that they had been looking to make our society better for — women and children. Instead of building more prisons and - © ‘turning Canada into a police state, we should work to prevent sexual assault and child abuse. We should teach our sons that “No does mean No.” We should strengthen, not cut, programs that prevent child physical and sexual abuse within families. We should entrench the “rape Shield” law to ensure that a woman’s “past” remains irrelevant during sexual assault trials, and we should stop glorifying violence against women in movies and TV. Meaningful actions such as these would truly honor Melanie and the thousands of nameless Melanies, who experi- enced violence at the hands of someone they knew. Heather Wood is a Vancouver writer who lives with an Emily Carr Student. stranger’ zi THE MELANIE CAMPAIGN SOCIEILY And as In duly bound your Petitioners will ever pray. Petition to retum the rights to the citizens from the criminals. Wherefore, the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon Parllament to: 3 Keep dangerous sex offenders and pedophiles locked up for lite Ellminate statutory release Impose stiffer sentences for violent offenders Have violent criminals serve thelr full sentences and have time added for bad behaviour Have a central register for the names and addresses of violent offenders Give more power to the legal Institullons to keep dangerous criminals even after the . sentence Is served, if they are still a risk to soclely ig Give police more authority In apprehending and interrogating violent offenders Including the abllity to take blood and saliva samples 8. Eliminate the insanity, drunk or drugged defence 9 Impose stiller laws and sentences for stalker criminals 4 melanie Carpenter OPINION - BY HEATHER J. WOOD What would really be a fitting tribute to the memory of Melanie Carpenter? After weeks of media manipulation and hysteria, we seem to have lost sight of the realities of violence and sexual violence against women and children First, we should consider the statistics. Eighty percent of murders are committed by family members or acquaintances. Less than one per cent of parolees commit violent crimes (a statis- tic The Vancouver Sun quietly reported at the ssame time at it was profiting from is sensational ist coverage of the Capenter tragedy). And finally, a full 70% of female victims of violence are victimized by SOMEONE THEY KNOW: a boyfriend, a co-worker, an ex-lover, a husband, a father, a friend. ‘The myth of the evil stranger in the bushes or in dark alleys is pervasive in our culture, but itis still largely a myth. After all, society would rather not believe that the “nice” doctor would molest his female patients, that the attr heroic sports star would brutally assault his wife or that a fine, upstanding member of the bu ness community would repeatedly rape his three year old daughter. We would rather think that such crimes are only committed by anti-social, rootless, amoral, faceless “criminals.” If we cling to the “evil stranger” myth; we don’t have to work at changing our society. We can go about our business and forget about the tive, prostitute murdered by her john or viciously beaten by her pimp. Be can disregard a 45 year ‘old woman’s revelations that her father molested her throughout childhood as simply “fals memory syndrome.” And we can easily dismiss the college student’s claim of rape if she once dated the perpetrator. ‘The evil stranger myth also prevents us from taking a closer look at how rape and child sexual abuse cases are investigated and pros- ecuted. Why would we need to make it easier for women and children to bring their abusive fathers, uncles, friends and neighbors to justice, when we think that only “sex offenders” rape and only “pedophiles” molest children? If Hook at the experiences of the people around me, most experienced violence at the hands of individuals they knew. A dear friend ‘was assaulted by a former lover (an ex-cop!), my ‘mother was physically and sexually abused by her father, my partner was anally raped as a cchild by a family friend, and when I was attend- ing my “nice,” private high school, a schoolmate as shot and killed by her obsessive ex-boy- friend. The list, unfortunately, does go on. If our outrage at Melanie Capenter’s murder is to truly spearhead change, then it should be change that has meaning for all of us. My reading of the “Yellow Ribbon- Melanie” campaign is that it is only targeting that mythi- cal “evil stranger,” and not those who every day beat, rape or abuse women and children. And I have to be suspicious of any campaign that has been led by the Reform Party. Only a couple of months ago, that same party was disputing the Statistics of wife-abuse, claiming that they had been looking to make our society better for women and children. Instead of building more prisons and turning Canada into a police state, we should ‘work to prevent sexual assault and child abuse. We should teach our sons that “No does No.” We should strengthen, not cut, programs that prevent child physical and sexual abuse within families. We should entrench the “rape shield” law to ensure that a woman’s “past remains irrelevant during sexual assault trial: and we should stop glorifying violence against ‘women in movies and TV. Meaningful actions such as these would truly honor Melanie and the thousands of nameless Melanies, who experi enced violence at the hands of someone they knew. mean Heather Wood is a Vancouver writer who lives with an Emily Carr Student. If we cling to the “evil stranger” myth; we don’t have to work at changing our society. é { THE MELANIE CAMPAIGN SOCIETY Palition to relum the rights to the cilizens {rom the criminals. Wherelore, the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon Parllament to: ay Keep dangerous sex offenders and pedophiles locked up for life 2. Eliminate statutory release 3. Impose stiffer sentences for violent offenders 4. Have violent criminals serve thelr {ull sentences and have time added for bad behaviour 5 Have a central register for the names and addresses of violent offenders 6. Give more power to the legal Institullons to keep dangerous criminals even after the sentence Is served, If they are still a risk to soclely Ts Give police more authority In apprehending and interrogating violent offenders Including the abllity to take blood and saliva samples 8. Eliminate the Insanity, drunk or drugged defence 9. Impose stiller laws and sentences for stalker criminals And as In duly bound your Petitioners will ever pray.