Protest bravery award for man convicted of sexual assault - and more…
By Jess McCabe | 13 September 2008, 19:23
Guy Armand Raes has just been sentenced to eight months in Canadian prison for sexually assaulting a 17 year old girl. Why, then, is he about to be given an award for bravery by the Queen’s representative in Canada, Governor General Michaëlle Jean?
The judge said Raes had abused his position of power to sexually assault the girl from Airdrie, outside Calgary, whom he was trying to help overcome drug and alcohol addiction.“What aggravates the situation is that given his age, being a father himself, being a police officer and a person acting as a role model for a struggling, drug-addicted girl who expressed that she did not have anyone as important as Const. Raes in her life, elevates this act to something more than a momentary lapse of judgment,” the judge said.
WitchyWoo has a full breakdown, including these contact details for Jean - everyone should register their protest at this:
To register your protest contact: Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D. Governor General of Canadaby email at info@gg.ca
by phone at (613) 993-8200 (or toll-free in Canada 1 800 465-6890)
by fax at (613) 998-8760
or by mail at
Rideau Hall
1 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A1
As a sidenote, how fucked up is it that this story about the case still calls Raes a “Hero Mountie” in its headline?
Elsewhere:
The Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker posts about attitudes to domestic violence.
From the archives of Bitch Magazine, Shelf Lives picks out some “lost and found” feminist classics. Meanwhile, the Bitch Magazine blog points to some particular noxious footage from Fox, about the fact that one of the aspiring models on America’s Next Top Model is trans.
We’re gonna need a bigger boat… has the latest update on the continuing issues with domestic violence services struggling for funding here in the UK.
At Feministing, Miriam links up a trailer for A Jihad for Love, which follows the lives of lesbian and gay Muslims across 12 countries and nine languages.
Treasury minister Angela Eagle, also the only out lesbian MP in the UK, is to tie the knot in a civil partnership ceremony, reports Pink News. Couldn’t resist putting in this detail:
While Tory front bencher Alan Duncan chose a more traditional announcement of his recent gay nuptials - an engagement announcement in The Daily Telegraph - Ms Eagle’s was suitably old Labour.The party’s Deputy Leader Harriet Harman revealed the happy news to the TUC conference earlier today, in the middle of a question and answer session on equality issues.
I know everyone’s probably heard more than enough about Sarah Palin, the US Republican party’s choice for vice president, but you know that story about how rape victims were forced to pay for the police to analyse their rape kits? There was some dallying over whether or not Palin actually knew this happened, but The Angry Black Woman links to a story which shows there is good evidence she signed off on it.
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Feeds
Renee said:
he is being given the award because one thing does not have to do with another. He did perform the acts for which he is being awarded. He is also going to be punished for the crimes that he committed. Saying this does not in any way diminish the seriousness of the assault that he committed.
Posted on 13 September 2008 at 8:11 PM
Elf said:
Hi, I didn't know where else to post this comment, but I needed to say THANK YOU to this website, for existing, for voicing feminine opinions in a safe environment and for giving me facts and figures - I have always had an idea that there is something wrong but was never able to know what, and people who seemed intelligent and respectable have always told me that there is NO sexism in this country anymore.
So THANK YOU for all your work and for creating this site. I believe it will change my life forever
xxxxxx
Posted on 13 September 2008 at 8:33 PM
Kirsty said:
Does anyone know if A Jihad for Love is playing in the UK? I went to the website but they only seem to show dates for screenings in the US.
Posted on 13 September 2008 at 8:50 PM
Jess McCabe said:
Renee - Sure, the two things are not connected, but I don't think that means that it's not fair to call for the award to be withdrawn in the light of the fact it's disgusting to give a bravery award to a man who went on to commit sexual assault.
Elf - :-)
Kirsty - I've not heard, but I suspect it'll be a bit behind the US screenings...
Posted on September 13, 2008 10:13 PM