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Don't Blame Victims

Published in the both Daily News and Chronicle Herald, November, 1994

To the Editor:
So drunkenness is an excuse. The untold part of this story is the reported fact that it is men who are using this excuse for their violence in a male dominated legal system. This should come as no surprise. We live in a society where the men who do violent acts receive few consequences and the victims, typically women, are victimized again as they pursue their right to justice.
As reported in The Mail Star on November 3, 1994 a woman was told by the legal system that, when she was a 14 year old girl at the Nova Scotia School for Girls in Truro, she was "partially to blame" for her rape.
This culture of denial must end before any lasting change will take place. Men have avoided taking responsibility for violent acts for too long. We cannot continue to blame the victim or the bottle for men's violent behavior and still expect real change.
As the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre approaches let us remind ourselves that there is no excuse for violence. While not all men are violent it is still a challenge for every man to do our part to end violence. Speak up, wear a purple ribbon and support men to accept full responsibility and consequences for their violent actions.

  • by Peter Davison
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