April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

sex abuse

The Handmaids Tale Dystopia Meets Reality

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This story is both a horrific example of the human trafficking going on in the world and a warning as to what could happen to women should the womb police get their way.

Anyone familiar with Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale will recognize this type of scenario;

In its promotional material, the Asia-based operation makes pregnancy sound like an illness. Its symptoms include “loss of intimacy,” growing “out of shape” and, of course, “birth pangs.”

The solution? Fertilize a foreign stranger who will be fed nutritious meals, housed in a Bangkok suburb, monitored around the clock and kept to a precise sleep-wake schedule. “It is quite suitable,” says the agency’s broken-English pitch, “for the women who desire to have kids but no time for pregnancy.”

Sadly this lives not in the pages of a dystopian warning but is a profitable business in Asia. Recent developments of the GOP war on women in the States has many bloggers and tweeters asking if the GOP and their supporters see women as breeding stock, anti abortionists have even caused women to be investigated and arrested simply for thinking about abortion. Some lawmakers are considering investigating women for miscarriages. How long before laws are enforced that require pregnant or pre-pregnant women to adhere to specific types of behaviour very much like this;

This high degree of scrutiny is actually promoted by the company on the Chinese-language portion of its site. Surrogates are “accompanied by hand” while walking around the community, according to the site, which also promises they’ll be woken at 7 a.m., fed at specific times each day and put to bed at 10 p.m.

“Give her a Pill”

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This is why I didn’t not blog on IWD. I wanted to. I felt I was letting people down by not blogging. That I was not showing solidarity. And yet there comes a point when one is so satruated with all injustice, ridiculousness and governmental opposition to equality it just seems too big. Unfortunately it isn’t getting any smaller.

of the 9 year old impregnanted by her step father the church proclaims

The accused stepfather is not being excommunicated from the Church. Said ArchbishopJose Cardoso Sobrinho, although the man allegedly committed “a heinous crime … the abortion – the elimination of an innocent life – was more serious.”

Shorter church; stealing a young girls innocence YAWN, saving her life criminal

This disgust and hatred of all things female is not something in which only the catholic church indulges. Our government is pretty good at it too.

I print this in it’s entirety

On March 9th, 2009, the President of the Treasury Board, Vic Toews, mocked me in the House of Commons during question period stating that I was “whining and whining and yelling” while he was answering a question on pay equity.

I was in fact objecting to a statement that the Conservative government’s pay equity legislation reflects the recommendations of the Liberal Task Force report when, in fact, there is absolutely no resemblance between the two.

Later in that same question period, Minister Toews looked directly at my colleague and seatmate, Dr. Hedy Fry, MP, and said “Please give her a pill.”

This kind of chauvinist attitude should not be accepted anywhere in our society, let alone, where we debate the laws of this country. The fact that this was done only one day after International Women’s Day shows this government’s lack of respect for women and women Parliamentarians.

I watched as the entire front bench of the Conservative government could not control their laughter as the Minister told me to take a pill.

The Minister went on to say, “I do not know what the problem is. Maybe someone with other expertise might be able to determine what the problem is.”

Attempting to hold the government to account should not be reason for degrading another Member of Parliament and saying that she is only whining and that she should take a pill.

Over and over again, women MPs have had to listen as this Conservative government has shown a complete lack of respect. I say enough is enough. Why would more women want to be Members of Parliament if this is the kind of behaviour waiting for them in the House of Commons.

I say to this Conservative government, argue policies against policies – do not insult Members of Parliament simply because they are doing their job and holding you to account.

The Minister’s behaviour showed no respect for Parliament or for women.

Hon. Maria Minna, P.C., M.P.
Beaches-East York
Official Opposition Critic for Labour
Chair, National Liberal Women’s Caucus

I urge everyone to contact Vic Toews, Harper and their member of Parliament and demand an apology not only to Ms. Minna and Ms. Fry but also to the women of Canada.

Parliament once erupted in laughter over the issue of violence against women. It appears those sorry days may be returning.

8 years for torture

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For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out. James Baldwin

8 years for the torture of a 4 year old hardly seems appropriate. The abuser showed no remorse, no understanding of the heinous nature of his activities and I predict will re-offend in the future.

Bannert showed no emotion as the judge read his sentence, which was reduced to five years and eight months in prison because of the 14 months he spent in pre-trial custody. The Crown was seeking a much harsher sentence of 15 years.

The court heard she was denied liquids to a point where she had to drink urine from the toilet and plant water. Graphic details of her sexual abuse also emerged from the trial. She described how sex in a bathtub with “daddy” was a common occurrence.

A victim impact statement written by a social worker said the girl is so traumatized she cannot learn or form normal emotional relationships. About to turn six next month, the girl is on medication for post-traumatic stress syndrome. She now lives in a foster home.

Her mother was earlier convicted and sentenced for her part in this crime.

Apparently the defense tried to argue this off as discipline. Locking a four year old in the basement, handcuffing her, denying her water, forcing her to watch pornography and dance in a suggestive fashion, raping her in the bathtub…..what part of that could in anyone’s twisted mind be considered discipline?

I wish you peace sweet daughter.



news sources:

CTV
CBC