HARRC executive director discusses new resource for reporting hate crimes, a joint intiative with HCCI
Hate crimes have unfortunately been a longstanding in issue in Hamilton. To offer another form of support for the community the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre and Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion have worked together to develop hate crime reporting tool WeSupportHamilton.
HARRC supports Hamilton community members who have experienced racism and works to educate community on race-based issues while HCCI works to create an inclusive community through community engagement and workshops.
The WeSupportHamilton website was launched on May 8 and offers community members a platform to report hate crimes and access additional support resources. Some of these resources include legal aid, counselling and health services.
“WeSupportHamilton is a website that is designed to allow individuals in our community to report their experiences in the way that they would like it in the way that they would like. So it allows them to be able to say "how I want to be supported, I want my story to move forward",” said Lyndon George, executive director of HARRC.
WeSupportHamilton is a website that is designed to allow individuals in our community to report their experiences in the way that they would like it in the way that they would like. So it allows them to be able to say "how I want to be supported, I want my story to move forward."
Lyndon George, executive director, Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre
The website's concept was supported by years of research and community-based conversation. Ameil Joseph, an associate professor of social work at McMaster University, and Kojo Damptey, a sessional Instructor at McMaster, were especially important throughout the entire process.
In 2019, Joseph and Damptey supervised Shubham Maini and Nawshaba Ahmed who wrote a report that explored the basis for online hate reporting. From there, with help from the aforementioned McMaster members, George shared that focus groups were utilized to help shape what was important to support the Hamilton community.
“We had some students conduct research focus groups on what the support could potentially look like, what people would like to see come out of that and looking into why this is needed within the community and really pulling in important information,” said Koubra Haggar, programs manager at HCCI.
As WeSupportHamilton is used for reporting hate incidents that people in Hamilton endure, they are planning to try to synthesize the information to serve as data, which could be used to develop educational material to understand better hate crimes that occur in the city.
Haggar also shared that by putting the community of Hamilton at the forefront of this project, they hope that it will allow those who may have distrust in sharing their experiences with police to have another avenue by which they are able to feel that their experience is recognized and respected.
“The majority of people...at least that I've interacted with, don't report incidences of hate to the police at all. . . just not thinking that it's worth it, or not feeling safe doing that or not knowing or thinking that it would be productive in the long term,” said Haggar.
Given that the website was released a few months ago, George explained the main goal now is to share the resource. They hope that the Hamilton community, including McMaster students, will slowly become more aware of the resource so that they can use it if they see fit.
Moving forward, they hope to further expand the scope of the website. George explained that ultimately this is a resource for community by community; the website will always be adjusted to best fit the needs expressed by the community, including students.
“WeSupport can be one of multiple steps. . .a student can take [when] looking for that type of support. We would always be happy to kind of help out when needed and they don't need to feel like their [information] is going to be going anywhere…Just knowing that they do have support in Hamilton, and then we can connect them to resources that are in the community,” said Haggar.
WeSupport can be one of multiple steps. . .a student can take [when] looking for that type of support. We would always be happy to kind of help out when needed and they don't need to feel like their [information] is going to be going anywhere…Just knowing that they do have support in Hamilton, and then we can connect them to resources that are in the community.
Koubra Haggar, programs manager, Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion
Haggar and George encouraged McMaster University students to utilize the resource if they find that it can be of help to them.
Overall, both HAARC and HCCI hope this resource empowers members of the Hamilton community to share their experiences and seek the support they need.
C/O Jessica Tan, Unsplash
Generation Z has become enchanted by true crime stories — but why?
cw: murder, death, violence, crime
Since I could remember, I have always loved scary, gruesome things. I was six years old watching Halloween with my Dad on the couch with smiles staying up past my bedtime to see which true crime case would be talked about on 60 Minutes.
I loved it. I loved the rush, the mystery and also being able to tell who murdered who and why. Almost as if it was a game of Clue. I have always wondered why I’ve become immune to learning about such gruesome events on television.
Once TikTok started to become more popular, so did true crime. Many creators would speak about true crime stories which tugged at the bored minds of Tiktok’s generation Z audience. I have noticed a huge spike in true crime as a whole, with many true crime creators on YouTube skyrocketing, such as Bailey Sarian, Kendall Rae and Hailey Elizabeth.
Another interesting aspect that I’ve noticed about these true crime Youtubers is their ability to tell these stories in a lighthearted way. For example, they’re often told while the Youtuber does their makeup or even eats food.
That’s when the realization really hit me. How can we watch and listen to such gruesome stories all the time? How are the storytellers able to do their makeup alongside, as if it's a normal conversation with a friend?
In fact, there’s a psychological explanation for why many of us may enjoy true crime stories.
For one, it's the notion that it's not us in that situation. We are grateful we are not the victim or even the murderer. We watch in awe of the story, feel sympathy for the victim and experience disgust and confusion for the murderer and their motivations.
Everytime I hear a true crime story I think to myself, “How could someone even do such a thing?”
And even though it may be selfish, we do experience relief that it is not us. It’s the same notion as when you’re driving on the highway and you see a crash; you slow down to take a glimpse of what took place, you sigh in relief and keep moving. Although it may not sit well with you, for some reason you just can’t look away.
As members of generation Z, we have grown up with an abundance of readily available information, some of which we may not have wanted or intended to see, given the lack of regulation of what’s visible in the media.
Another reason is people want to be more prepared. You actually take a lot away from true crime stories, from how the murders think to how the legal system works. This gives individuals a sense of preparedness so that if something like this ever happens to them, they may have some insight on what to do and what not to do.
Overall, true crime stories are very interesting and I can attest to my obsession with watching hundreds of different podcasts, YouTube videos or news stories on it. Despite this, it is also important that we do not dehumanise nor make light of what occurred.
Greater safety precautions needed amongst student housing
CW: This article refers to instances of physical and sexual violence.
On Oct. 1, a 34-year-old identified as Michael Gallo was stabbed in the backyard of his home near Main Street West and Haddon Ave. South.
On Oct. 1, a 34-year-old identified as Michael Gallo was stabbed in the backyard of his home near Main Street West and Haddon Ave. South.
Gallo was found with stab wounds and taken to the hospital where he died of his injuries.
Kelly Botelho reported for CHCH that neighbours said Gallo had come out of the house that day, hugging his abdomen and asking for help.
Due to its close proximity to McMaster University, the Westdale area is a popular area for student housing.
Andrew Mrozowski, a fourth-year political science student and Managing Editor of the Silhouette, lives one street down from Haddon Avenue on Dalewood Avenue and has been in his student house since September.
Mrozowski recalls that when news broke about the stabbing that night, both him and his housemates were afraid. Not until the next morning after driving past Gallo’s house did he process the severity of the incident.
“Just because we live near Mac doesn't mean that we still should not take the precautions to be safe,” Mrozowski said. He was reminded that although Westdale is heavily populated by students of McMaster, it is still a neighbourhood like any other.
“Just because we live near Mac doesn't mean that we still should not take the precautions to be safe,” Mrozowski said.
In recent years, there have been several incidents within the student neighbourhoods around McMaster. In August and September 2018, there was a series of break-ins and attempted break-ins that targeted women. A 32-year-old man, Daniel Severin, was charged in February 2019 in connection with six incidents in Westdale during that time period.
Severin was charged with numerous crimes, including sexual assault, four counts of voyeurism, and six counts of criminal harassment. Severin was caught and charged five months after the first attack.
There were other incidents as well. A fight in September 2019 left two men with non-life-threatening stab wounds in the area of Whitney Avenue and Emerson Street. A couple was attacked on Bowman Street in October 2019, where a 19-year-old man had non-life-threatening stab wounds and a 19-year-old woman was sprayed with an unknown aerosol. It is unclear whether anyone was charged in connection to these incidents.
In thinking about why Westdale might lack safety measures, Mrozowski suggested that the lack of media coverage over student incidents may be a contributing factor.
In addition, to make Westdale a safer area for students, Mrozowski suggested that the university and the McMaster Students Union should be more involved. He would like to see students have authority other than the police to turn to for concerns within student housing.
“I hope [after hearing what happened] McMaster students really stop and consider, are they being safe . . . [I hope that] this horrible incident brings the community together to take further precautions to make sure it doesn't happen to anybody else in anybody else's family,” Mrozowski added.
"[I hope that] this horrible incident brings the community together to take further precautions to make sure it doesn't happen to anybody else in anybody else's family,” Mrozowski added.
Other students have also voiced concerns over the lack of police response to issues of violence in and around McMaster. A group of McMaster students and supporters called De Caire Off Campus continue to advocate for the removal of Head of Security Services Glenn De Caire and the removal of all special constables.
The group has cited failures of special constables to adequately respond to mental health crises and sexual violence.
In an update from the Hamilton Police Services, a man who was in the immediate area has now been deemed a suspect. The man was nearly hit by a vehicle while crossing the same intersection that night around five minutes before police were called to Gallo’s home.
The man is described as slender, about 5’9” and wearing a grey sweater with black sleeves along with a blue surgical mask.
Police are asking that people who were in the area at the time and saw the suspect to contact them. They are also asking homeowners in the Westdale area to check cameras and surveillance footage.
Anyone with information is also asked to call police at 905-546-3874 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
It seems that the break-ins that have plagued Westdale since early August have officially reached Ainslie Wood East. On Sept. 25, one group of students living in that neighbourhood woke up around 4:30 a.m. to find an intruder, who quickly escaped.
The affected students reached out to the Silhouette, hoping to share their story given the recent prowling incidents that have occurred sporadically over the last few weeks. They have asked to stay anonymous for their safety.
Be Aware #Hamont especially in #Westdale! Stay Safe!https://t.co/CumC5Wppnx @McMaster @cityofhamilton @VillageWestdale
— Paul Glendenning (@SilentHowls) September 1, 2018
CORRECTION: a previous version of this article erroneously stated that the break-in occurred in Ainslie Wood North, when it occurred in Ainslie Wood East.
[spacer height="20px"]Although no one was assaulted, slash marks were found on the bottom and sides of a few window screens on the house, which Hamilton Police indicated to the occupants as the M.O of the Westdale attacker. As of now, the occupants of the home have not noticed any major items missing, indicating no theft.
It should be noted that there is no clear link as of yet to the Westdale attacker outside the slash marks.
Police arrived on the scene within minutes of the initial 911 call but were not able to catch the perpetrator.
This story will be updated if any relevant information is made available. Please call 911 in the case of any emergency.
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By Daniella Mikanovsky
A string of prowling incidents and break-ins stretching from Aug. 2018 to Sept. 11 continues to rock Westdale. In the wake of these events, students and organizations on campus have been stepping up their advocacy for landlord accountability in the community.
The first incident occurred on Aug. 3, when an intruder broke into the second story window of McMaster Integrated Science student Connor MacLean’s home. After the incident, MacLean and his roommates called their landlords.
“We felt unsafe in that house, so the landlords agreed to put in motion lights. A month later, there was still nothing. We ended up buying our own motion lights, our own security camera, and we installed it ourselves,” MacLean explained. “Safety should not be the student’s responsibility alone. The landlords need to be the first people looking out for that.”
Shemar Hackett, associate vice president of municipal affairs on for the McMaster Students Union, is planning to tackle the issue of unaccountable landlords. The committee he leads is focused on improving off-campus life for students, including housing safety.
One initiative the committee hopes to implement is the Landlord Licencing System, a city-run program that would fund annual housing inspections and certify that any tenant complaints are taken seriously. This system would encourage landlord responsibility, with the goal being for students to have safety features in their homes, including functioning locks on all windows and doors.
An additional initiative that the committee has been undertaking is a Landlord Rating System, which will exist as an online forum for students to rate and report their housing units. Similar to the website Rate My Professor, this website could incentivize landlords to take responsibility when maintaining their houses.
“Once the website gains traction and students begin to report their experiences, irresponsible landlords will begin to see a decline in students seeking their properties. In return, students should see safer living conditions as landlords are now motivated to upkeep their rental units, which increases the quality of living for students and ensures their safety,” said Hackett.
With a host website confirmed, Hackett expects to have the program available for student use in the new year.
There are also programs on campus available for students who feel a lack of security. For instance, a skill students may want to acquire is self-defense. McMaster Athletics and Recreation is offering two 10-week classes for “Krav Maga Self-Defense” this fall.
It is worth noting that “Women’s Self-Defense” has not been scheduled this term. The Athletics and Recreation department is facing difficulty with locating a space for this class due to the renovations occuring in the David Braley Athletic Centre. Although classes may return in the winter term, in light of the Westdale break-ins, the lack of classes may be a significant issue.
For female students who are looking for a women’s-only class, the Equity and Inclusion Office may offer it. Pilar Michaud, director of human rights and dispute resolution at the EIO, explains that in the past, the EIO ran a women’s self-defense workshop.
Michaud also points to several other services available to students, including Meagan Ross, McMaster’s sexual violence response coordinator, the MSU’s Women and Gender Equity Network and Good2Talk, a free and confidential 24/7 helpline that offers professional support for university students in Ontario.
Just a friendly reminder that Good2Talk is a 24/7 Confidential Helpline for post-secondary students. Call 1-866-925-5454 or visit https://t.co/TERu6Z9JUe #MentalHealthMatters
— OUSA (@OUSAhome) February 1, 2018
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By Daniella Mikanovsky
*This article contains discussions of sexual assault*
Over the last few weeks, approximately 12 prowling incidents have occurred in the Westdale student neighborhood. In at least eight of the 12 cases, female students were directly targeted.
In the early hours of Aug. 3, fourth-year Integrated Science student Connor MacLean awoke to his roommate’s screams. An intruder entered their Sterling Street student house through a second story window, sexually assaulting MacLean’s roommate in her sleep. The intruder quickly escaped, marking the first incident in a series of break-ins and prowlers that have shaken Westdale since.
The following evening, just a few blocks away, McMaster alumna Nicole Clarke was relaxing in her basement room after a shower when she heard rustling in the hallway. She called out believing it was her mother. When the person ran up the stairs and out of their Haddon Avenue North family home, however, Clarke realized that that was not the case.
In both incidents, valuables were in clear sight, but nothing was stolen. At MacLean’s student house, the intruder reached over a laptop on the bed in order to assault the student. At Clarke’s home, the intruder walked past a television on his way to the basement.
The incidents did not stop there. Three weeks passed quietly, but on Aug. 28, a 21-year-old student woke up and saw a person standing in her bedroom. As soon as she screamed, the intruder ran down the stairs and out the front door.
Classes began. With them, another incident. On Sept. 4, a man attempted to enter a house at Paisley and Haddon. The girl living inside the house caught him prying a screen window off. She called the police.
The Hamilton Police have increased their presence in the area since. Nevertheless, as of yet, nobody has been caught in connection to the crimes, and it is too early for them to be connected.
On Sept. 7, McMaster Daily News released a statement reminding students to take precautions to protect themselves.
Given the recent incidents in the Westdale community, we wanted to provide @McMasterU @MSU_McMaster students with some important safety tips. Remember, don't wait to call police. If you see a crime in progress, call 911 immediately #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/rhQTHC1Zvc
— Hamilton Police (@HamiltonPolice) September 7, 2018
“McMaster University has shared alerts about some recent concerning incidents in Hamilton’s Westdale neigbourhood. As Hamilton Police Services continue their investigation, the McMaster community is reminded of some steps to take for safety and security, as well as some available support services and resources,” read part of the statement.
It should be noted that all the break-ins occurred through unlocked windows or doors.
“I think it is very important that students stay vigilant and look out for each other. When we come home, we lock all of our doors as soon as we get in. Lock all your windows. You can get pieces of wood and put them in the sliding track of your window so that even if it is unlocked, they can't open it from the outside,” said MacLean.
On campus, there are a number of resources available to students who feel unsafe or at risk. For instance, the McMaster Students’ Union Student Walk Home Attendant Team is available every night of the week from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Sowmya Karthikeyan, SWHAT Coordinator, suggests that students should utilize the service whenever they need it.
“If you're here with a couple of your friends, we can definitely walk in groups and drop people off individually,” said Karthikeyan. “In one walk we can drop all those people off, at that time we're connected directly to McMaster Security.”
Using SWHAT’s service in groups allows student volunteers to help more students reach their homes safely in shorter periods of time.
The university also has several support systems in place. In particular, students who have been affected by sexual violence or are worried for their safety during this time are encouraged to contact Meaghan Ross, the sexual violence response coordinator at the Equity and Inclusion Office.
Students living in the Westdale area should report any suspicious activity to the Hamilton Police and McMaster Security. They can provide anonymous information with Crime Stoppers Hamilton. In the cases of emergency, students should contact 911.
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According to a report released by the crime analyst division of Hamilton Police, the McMaster community saw low levels of break and enter crimes in 2017. However, this does not reflect the campus crime scene, with a security services report highlighting that the university is seeing the highest number of reported crimes in five years.
The analyst division report notes that beat 1161, which includes the Westdale area, saw 33 break and enter crimes in 2015, 41 in 2016 and 30 in 2017. Beat 1162, which includes the McMaster campus, Ainslie Wood North, Ainslie Wood and Ainslie Wood West neighbourhoods, saw a total of 30 break and enter crimes in 2015, 19 in 2016 and only 14 in 2017.
Overall, the number of break and enter crimes in both beat 1161 and 1162 dropped between 2015 and 2017, with a total of 63 in 2015 dropping to 60 in 2016 and only 44 in 2017.
However, the McMaster Security Services report stipulates that the number of break and enter attempts on campus fluctuated over the last three years, with five recorded in 2015, 17 in 2016 and 11 in 2017.
The most common crimes being reported include mischief and theft, with the number of mischief cases increasing from 80 in 2015 to 100 in 2017 and the number of theft crimes climbing from 146 in 2015 to 258 this year.
“In 2017, McMaster University Security Services filed 3,687 incident reports which is an increase over the 2016 reported incidents of 2,834 (30 per cent increase). Legal infractions accounted for 870 incidents of either federal or provincial statutes or criminal incidents,” read part of the report.
The number of crimes reported on campus has increased over the last five years. While the assault rate was 19 in 2012 and 12 in 2015, in 2016, that rate climbed to 27 and sat at 29 in 2017. In addition, cases of sexual harassment increased from 22 in 2015 to 37 in 2017.
The most common crimes being reported include mischief and theft, with the number of mischief cases increasing from 80 in 2015 to 100 in 2017 and the number of theft crimes climbing from 146 in 2015 to 258 this year.
In an effort to make information about crimes on campus more accessible to the community, McMaster Security Services used to record crime beats on its website. These weekly updates included all incidents reported on campus, from serious crimes to students drinking excessively and getting trapped in elevators in residence.
“Our website is under a redesign phase so the most recent statistics are not included on that particular page. We do post the annual reports on the site,” said Glenn DeCaire, the university’s director of security and parking services.
According to the 2017 annual report, the number of crimes reported has increased from 300 in 2015 to 531 in 2017.
“Most of this increase stems from higher numbers of reported thefts from places like [David Braley Athletic Centre] and of bicycles and laptops across campus and we are encouraging reporting,” said DeCaire. “There are also increased reports of assaults and harassment which follow the introduction last year of enhanced reporting and awareness through the new Sexual Violence Policy and the Sexual Violence protocol.”
Overall, it is unclear whether more crimes are being committed, reported or both. Students are encouraged to report an incident to security services and access supports via the sexual violence response protocol.
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If you have a Netflix account — or like myself, shamelessly log in to a friend’s — you have probably heard of the series Making a Murderer. I was told to watch it because, and I quote, “you will never be more likely to yell at your computer screen." As someone who frequently directs angry outbursts towards her laptop, I was intrigued.
For those who don’t know, the show is a documentary series about a man named Steven Avery and his dubious relationship with his local police department in Wisconsin. The series provides a pretty compelling case that law enforcement framed Avery for rape and murder. The show is gripping. Kudos to Netflix for making what should be boring material fascinating; there are not many things that could convince me to voluntarily sit through hours of court proceedings. While watching I did indeed direct some choice words towards my computer.
I was not alone in my rage. The hashtag #FreeSteveAvery exploded on Twitter, I’ve seen Tinder bios include people’s passionate feelings about the case, and an acquaintance posted a photo on Facebook of them holding a sign reading “Steve Avery is innocent!” at a hockey game. So if the Avery case has forced us to admit that maybe — just maybe — we have systematic failings in our criminal justice system, then why aren’t we able to admit that race may also play a part?
When talking about law enforcement we should be keeping the Black Lives Matter movement in mind, especially when discussing police misconduct. As of last month, the Federal Bureau of Prisons reported that Black inmates made up 37.8 percent of America’s prison population, but only 13.2 percent of the general population. Don’t let yourself believe this is only an American problem. According to Statistics Canada, Indigenous adults represented 26 percent of those taken into custody in 2013 and 2014 while making up only three percent of the population. This is not due to a higher number of Black or Indigenous people committing crimes, but instead flaws in our social and judicial systems that perpetuate systemic racism.
Steve Avery is White, which is not to say that he did not have barriers between him and a just trial. Avery comes from an impoverished family and has an IQ of 70. Throughout the series he is acutely aware of the constraints he faces due to class. The problem is that while his story is a compelling example of the miscarriage of justice, he is not unique. His case is not even the only preposterous high profile example of police and judicial misconduct in recent memory. In 2013, George Zimmerman was acquitted for shooting of the unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. In 2014 a grand jury decided not to indict the police officer that held Eric Garner in an illegal chokehold until he died. In 2015, a grand jury elected not to issue an indictment in connection to the death of Sandra Bland, a woman who died in jail — allegedly a suicide — after being pulled over for failing to signal when changing lanes. If there are countless examples of People of Colour being mistreated by the police and the courts, many of which are just as scandalous or more so than Avery’s case, then why is Making a Murderer about a white man, someone who is statistically underrepresented in American jails?
The answer is that we are much more comfortable relating to, pardoning, and fighting for White criminals, fictional or not. We love our Walter Whites, our Peaky Blinders, our Sopranos, our Boardwalk Empires, our Deadpools, and so on. We aren’t even that concerned if our dubious heroes are less savoury characters. Making a Murderer shows Steven Avery’s disturbing letters to his ex-wife, threatening her with violence, but we forgive him because we are invested in a very specific narrative: a White man being the victim of a miscarriage of justice who deserved better.
So if the Avery case has forced us to admit that maybe — just maybe — we have systematic failings in our criminal justice system, then why aren’t we able to admit that race may also play a part?
Next month is Black History Month, and it would be foolish of us to assume that our work regarding racism is done. It is uncomfortable to think that the people we have been told will protect us — officers, lawyers and judges — may not be as unbiased as we would like to believe. However, if we are willing to defend Steven Avery then we should without hesitation stand up for the Trayvon Martins, the Eric Garners, and the Sandra Blands in our midst.
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Readers should be advised that this article contains mentions of sexual assault.
There is a pervasive cultural image of “The Good Survivor.”
The Good Survivor can be seen on television, in Lifetime movies and in those real-life stories of sexual violence which we choose to highlight.
The Good Survivor is white, middle class and was attacked by a stranger. She fought back. She wasn’t drunk, she wasn’t on drugs and she wasn’t in a relationship with her rapist.
She is straight, and young, and articulate. She immediately goes to the police, who believe her, and her rapist is prosecuted. He goes to jail, and she moves on. The movie ends there, with the implication that she has been changed but not traumatised, and that her rape was a mechanism by which she became “strong”. She forgives her attacker. She’s not a victim, you see. She’s a survivor.
I loathe her.
Philosopher and Holocaust survivor Jean Améry wrote, “man has the right and the privilege to declare himself in disagreement with every natural occurrence, including the biological healing that time brings about. What happened, happened. This sentence is as true as it is hostile to morals and intellects.”
Améry felt that when forgiveness is made a virtue, unforgivingness becomes the victim’s vice. The desire that victims forgive their abusers comes not from any wish for the victim to find closure, but to show that the victim was not irrevocably damaged. It absolves not only the attacker but those who allowed it.
When I was three-years- old, I trustingly followed my favourite uncle down to the basement. We were going to play a game.
The “game” didn’t end until he died five years later. In time, he started taking pictures.
I never told anyone. I didn’t fight it. There was a part of me, an isolated child with few friends her own age, that relished in the attention. It wasn’t comfortable. It wasn’t right. But you can reconcile many things. I thought that I was special.
In a movie, one of the Good Survivor kinds, my mother would have noticed, or I would have told her, and we would have gone to the police. They would have used my testimony to take down my uncle and the men he shared my images with. I would have emerged triumphant.
In reality, I dissociate completely when anyone touches my neck.
It is popular to refer to rape victims only as “survivors.” I understand that this gives many of those people strength, and I would never condemn anyone’s methods of understanding their own trauma.
I didn’t “survive” my rape as one might a forest fire. It was not an act of God. It was a crime, and I was the victim.
I was once given a workbook that subtitled itself “From surviving to thriving!”.
I hated it. I hated it more when it became apparent that the book and others like it were focused on helping return people their identity and sense of self that they had before their rape.
I was raped before I knew how to read. The background of my early childhood is one of profound trauma, but one which was my normality. There is no returning to some previous whole. If I was broken, I was broken so early and so often that there is no me without this brokenness.
If this seems to you to be clinging to victimhood, understand that I cling to it in a context which so desperately wants me to forget. A culture which so desperately wants me to stop talking about it, to stop feeling its effects — the emphasis on survivorship in feminist communities has often struck me as being terribly insensitive to those of us who have to remind ourselves that what happened was a crime. If we are traumatised, if we are broken, it is because we have experienced something that was designed to break us.
I take my strength from being broken, from these proofs I have that I was hurt by someone’s deliberate choice rather than an amorphous inevitability.
I refuse to forget. I refuse to forgive. I refuse to rationalise.
I was the victim of a crime. This sentence is as true as it is hostile to morals and intellects.
5) March 28, 2013:
A harassing phone call was received by the SWHAT office. Some people have nothing to do on a Thursday night.
4) January 12, 2013:
A fight broke out in McKay Hall over a missing iPhone. The fight was resolved when a GPS feature on the phone proved that it was not on campus. That escalated quickly.
3) January 18,2013:
A male punched and kicked a taxi after the driver refused to overload the car. Alcohol is believed to be a factor. Lesson learned: no sharing.
2) December 12, 2012:
Commons Building staff reported being pestered by an individual with a laser pointer. Seriously, it’s true.
1) April 18, 2013:
Individuals were seen attempting to carry chairs off campus. As constables approached, the individuals fled and left the ill-gotten furniture behind. Authorities are seeking information on a possible dinner party.
