'We should be angry,' women's advocates say about latest homicide in London, Ont.
The 52-year-old man charged with second-degree murder made a court appearance Wednesday
As the man charged with second-degree murder in the killing of the woman with whom he owned a home made a brief court appearance, women's advocates in London, Ont. began talking about how to prevent similar crimes in the future.
The 52-year-old man made brief appearance via video link from the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre on Wednesday and spoke to his lawyer, Aaron Prevost, through a Mandarin interpreter. His name is protected by a publication ban so as not to identify the victim in the case and the couple's children. He will return to court March 30.
"We need to grieve the loss of the life that we've lost, and we need other women to know that they are not alone," said Jennifer Dunn, the executive director of the London Abused Women's Centre.
"Women's experiences of oppression and inequality are so harmful for women and girls and we really need to be angry. We need to be angry that it's like this in the first place."
Dunn and other gender-equality groups met Tuesday to discuss the latest homicide. Police were called Friday to Billybrook Crescent and found the woman dead. She and the accused owned the home together for the last 13 years, property records show.
"Information needs to be shared with the community about femicide and women need to know that they can reach out for support when they're ready," Dunn said.
Family-oriented, collectivist cultures
London's Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration is a leader in helping families from diverse cultures, where collectivism and families prevent women from seeking help beyond their homes. It aims to intervene early with families that are at risk of family violence and connect them with agencies where they can get help, said Mohammed Baobaid, who runs the centre.
"We want to address the impact of family violence and respond to family violence in collectivist communities," he said. "I think there are some really wonderful services out there but because of some cultural differences, some of those services will not be available when a woman needs support."
The centre tries to build bridges between women, children and families who would might not reach out for help, and the many service providers in London, Baobaid said. The model his centre uses is for London's diverse Muslim population but can be applied to other cultures.
Culturally-integrated response
"We call it a culturally integrated response. We talk about the difference in cultural tradition, in particularly how a collectivist culture may look at family conflicts or domestic violence versus individualistic communities."
In many cultures — and in Canada not so long ago — family violence is considered an internal family issue that doesn't warrant outside, professional help.
"We want to reach out to women and families in the early stages to provide support in the form of early intervention, to de-escalate any kind of conflict and prevent revictimization because there isn't enough support in the beginning," Baobaid said.
"The earlier you reach out and connect with their community of origin or their cultural community, the better the outcome in really preventing violence and also preventing escalation."
The Muslim Resource Centre works closely with organizations where women and families gather, and has outreach workers that connect with people, as well as running workshops and other programs.
"One of the challenges about responding to domestic violence in a family-oriented or collectivist community is the fact that it is not really seen as an issue that presents a risk and needs the intervention of authorities. They think it is an internal family matter, a private matter," he said.
"Service providers need to reach out with culturally-based service organizations and work with them, to be a bridge for these women."
Women in domestic violence situations or those who have left need to know that they are not alone, particularly when there is a homicide in the media, Dunn said.
"It can further traumatize women who have been in the same position or close to the same position to the woman that we've now lost," she said.
"We need to remember the impact of femicide on the whole community. There's a ripple effect and women need to know that we're here."