Thursday night Arcelie Laoagan was walking to a local train station on her way back from work. Somewhere near the Franklin LRT station she was murdered, and some asshole took away someone
’s wife and the mother of five children. She was trying to save up enough money to bring her family to Canada. The nature and cause of her murder is still under investigation. As are several frightening incidents of sexual assault that have happened in Calgary over the last few months. There are people out there who believe they have every right to take someone’s dignity, bodily autonomy, and perhaps even their lives because this someone is a woman. Because we live a world where violence against women is increasing along with flagrant denial of its existence.
And, because we live in a world where the authorities who are supposed to protect women can only say this: “… the homicide may have been a random attack and renewed their warnings to women to take precautions while walking at night.” How on earth can someone imply this woman was murdered because she had not taken precautions? Should she have known better than to have a job, to take public transit, to leave her house? That sentence petrified me.
I did originally have a blog entry exclusively about reproductive rights, but felt this story needed to be told more. But I also think there is a connection between this horrific violence, the blaming of victims and the denial of reproductive rights. I in no way intend to appropriate Archelie’s story for the purposes of pro-choice discussion, however I feel it needs to be said- in the end it all comes down to choice. Choice is the only defence women have in the face of this complex patriarchical system, and having choice taken away from you is violence. Taking away someone’s right to be alive, someone’s right to be alone at night, someone’s right to have or not have a child- this is patriarchy. This is what feminism is up against.
Rest in Peace Arcelie.
