Anselma House - A shelter for abused women and their children.

- DEC 6 -

On December 6, 1989, one man murdered 14 women in Montreal, Canada. The women were engineering students. This was not an isolated act. Men who abuse and murder women are brought up to have power and control in a culture that devalues women. These men must take responsibility for their actions.

Violence is a global issue. Women and girls around the world face emotional and physical abuse, rape, sexual assault, dowry deaths, sexual slavery, female infanticide . . . Violence is a chosen response. Every community and every institution must work to build a culture of safety, equality and justice for women and children.

December 6 is Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The “Rose Button” was produced to commemorate this day and to remember the 14 young women killed in Montreal on December 6, 1989, and all women affected by violence. Proceeds from button sales go to support anti-violence work. Contact your local shelter for information about Rose Buttons.

Violence against women is a societal issue that affects women, men and children. We can all contribute to making our society a healthy one by supporting anti-violence work in our communities.

On December 6, we remember these women who were killed simply because they were women:

Genevieve Bergeron, 21 Helene Colgan, 23 Nathalie Croteau, 23 Barbara Daigneault, 22 Anne-Marie Edward, 21 Maud Haviernick, 29 Maryse Laganiere, 25 Maryse Leclair, 23 Anne-Marie Lemay, 22 Sonia Pelletier, 28 Michele Richard, 21 Annie St-Arneault, 23 Annie Turcotte, 20 Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, 31

We must never forget the women murdered on December 6, 1989 and all women who suffer from male violence. We must transform our outrage and our tears into action, now.

Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge hold memorial gatherings on December 6th to remember the 14 women who were killed in Montreal. Contact your local women’s shelter for more information.

THE BEGINNING

THEY SAY IT WASN'T HATRED
OF WOMEN AS A WHOLE,
BUT THE WORK OF JUST ONE MAN.
WITH A BLACK AND TORTURED SOUL.

HE ONLY SHOT THE WOMEN,
THE MEN HE TOLD TO RUN,
HE ONLY KILLED THE FEMALES,
HIS SOLUTION WAS A GUN.

AND EVEN WHEN THEY LEARNED,
HE DETAINED ALL WOMEN SO,
IT WAS STILL THE WORK OF A MAD MAN,
WHO ALLOWED HIS HATE TO GROW.

BUT 14 SPECIAL WOMEN,
WERE LYING ON THE GROUND.
AND THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF OUTRAGE,
GAVE NARRY A WHIMPERING SOUND.

THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY,
OF THE FATEFUL DECEMBER 6TH,
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER,
OUR ATTITUDES TO FIX.

WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER.
AS ONE UNITED VOICE,
AND SHOUT OUT TO THE MASSES,
TO GIVE EACH OF US A CHOICE.

WE NEED TO TELL OUR DAUGHTERS,
AND EVERY SINGLE SON,
THAT RIGHTS OF MEN AND WOMEN,
SHOULD ALWAYS BE AS ONE.

WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK,
INTO OUR INNER SOUL,
SO ALL OF HEAVEN'S CREATURES,
CAN REACH A UNIFIED GOAL.

WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER,
SO ALL OF US WILL GAIN,
SO DECEMBER 6TH, WILL NEVER,
NEVER, HAPPEN AGAIN.

Mary Kalau Dec 1998

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