Canada’s ‘Incel Attack’ and its Gender-Based Violence Problem
Sigal
Samuel, The Atlantic, Apr 28, 2018
A Toronto
van killing attributed to misogynist motives was shocking, but not entirely out
of keeping with the country’s past.
van killing attributed to misogynist motives was shocking, but not entirely out
of keeping with the country’s past.
A
combination photograph shows notes of support at a makeshift memorial on Yonge
Street in Toronto, Canada, in 2018. Carlo Allegri / Reuters
combination photograph shows notes of support at a makeshift memorial on Yonge
Street in Toronto, Canada, in 2018. Carlo Allegri / Reuters
“These
are not the kinds of things we expect to happen in this city,” said
Toronto’s mayor after a van mowed down pedestrians on a busy sidewalk Monday.
Other Torontonians echoed his sentiment. “We never thought this would happen
here,” said
a supervisor at a trauma center that received several of the attack victims.
Similarly, a government employee said,
“This is not something that happens here. We always think we are insulated from
this kind of thing.”
are not the kinds of things we expect to happen in this city,” said
Toronto’s mayor after a van mowed down pedestrians on a busy sidewalk Monday.
Other Torontonians echoed his sentiment. “We never thought this would happen
here,” said
a supervisor at a trauma center that received several of the attack victims.
Similarly, a government employee said,
“This is not something that happens here. We always think we are insulated from
this kind of thing.”
Canadians
often react this way when a grisly attack occurs in the country. But in fact it
is the kind of thing that happens there. When it comes to addressing
gender-based violence—and that, evidently, is what the Toronto attack
was—Canada may have better systems in place than some other countries. Yet it
is far from insulated.
often react this way when a grisly attack occurs in the country. But in fact it
is the kind of thing that happens there. When it comes to addressing
gender-based violence—and that, evidently, is what the Toronto attack
was—Canada may have better systems in place than some other countries. Yet it
is far from insulated.
Alek
Minassian, the 25-year-old suspect in the van attack, has been charged with
murdering 10 people—mostly women—and injuring several others. In a Facebook
post published shortly before the attack, he lauded “incels,” or involuntary
celibates, and declared, “The Incel Rebellion has already begun!” The so-called
rebellion aims to punish women for denying incels sex, which they view as a
basic right for men. On online platforms like 4Chan, some of the group’s more
extreme members discuss the desirability of carrying out gruesome misogynistic
crimes, including mass rapes. Several quickly celebrated Minassian’s rampage,
with one user on the site “incels.me” saying he could be their “next new
saint.”
Minassian, the 25-year-old suspect in the van attack, has been charged with
murdering 10 people—mostly women—and injuring several others. In a Facebook
post published shortly before the attack, he lauded “incels,” or involuntary
celibates, and declared, “The Incel Rebellion has already begun!” The so-called
rebellion aims to punish women for denying incels sex, which they view as a
basic right for men. On online platforms like 4Chan, some of the group’s more
extreme members discuss the desirability of carrying out gruesome misogynistic
crimes, including mass rapes. Several quickly celebrated Minassian’s rampage,
with one user on the site “incels.me” saying he could be their “next new
saint.”
While
vehicular attacks resulting in mass murder are unfamiliar to Canada,
gender-based violence is not. A 1993 survey found that
more than half of the country’s women and girls reported
experiencing it at least once in their lives. The single incident that looms
largest in many Canadians’ memory—not least because its anniversary is marked
every year by a national day of remembrance—is the Montreal massacre. In 1989,
a 25-year-old man walked into that city’s Ecole Polytechnique and carried out a
mass shooting. He killed 14 women at the engineering school, claiming that he
was “fighting feminism,” before turning his gun on himself. His suicide note
accused feminists of ruining his life.
vehicular attacks resulting in mass murder are unfamiliar to Canada,
gender-based violence is not. A 1993 survey found that
more than half of the country’s women and girls reported
experiencing it at least once in their lives. The single incident that looms
largest in many Canadians’ memory—not least because its anniversary is marked
every year by a national day of remembrance—is the Montreal massacre. In 1989,
a 25-year-old man walked into that city’s Ecole Polytechnique and carried out a
mass shooting. He killed 14 women at the engineering school, claiming that he
was “fighting feminism,” before turning his gun on himself. His suicide note
accused feminists of ruining his life.
Then
there’s the country’s long record of violence against indigenous women, which
stretches all the way back to the European colonization of Canada. In the past
few decades alone, thousands
of indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing. Between 2001 and 2015,
indigenous women were six times
more likely to be murdered than other women in Canada, according to
a report by the national statistics agency, Statistics Canada.
there’s the country’s long record of violence against indigenous women, which
stretches all the way back to the European colonization of Canada. In the past
few decades alone, thousands
of indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing. Between 2001 and 2015,
indigenous women were six times
more likely to be murdered than other women in Canada, according to
a report by the national statistics agency, Statistics Canada.
“Canada
in its very founding as a nation-state is based in gender-based violence—on at
least two counts,” said Robyn Bourgeois, an indigenous professor of women’s and
gender studies at Brock University who has herself survived such violence.
“Canada was founded on the deaths of indigenous women and girls.” Early
colonial writings portrayed
indigenous women as lewd and sexually available, which served to justify sexual
violence against them. Indigenous girls and boys were forcibly removed from
their families and subjected to abuse in the residential school system, which
operated from the 1800s until the 1990s. Women were also subjected to coerced
sterilizations.
in its very founding as a nation-state is based in gender-based violence—on at
least two counts,” said Robyn Bourgeois, an indigenous professor of women’s and
gender studies at Brock University who has herself survived such violence.
“Canada was founded on the deaths of indigenous women and girls.” Early
colonial writings portrayed
indigenous women as lewd and sexually available, which served to justify sexual
violence against them. Indigenous girls and boys were forcibly removed from
their families and subjected to abuse in the residential school system, which
operated from the 1800s until the 1990s. Women were also subjected to coerced
sterilizations.
“And
Canada’s law is based on British common law, which was very permissive about
violence against women and girls,” Bourgeois continued, pointing out that
marital rape was legal as late as 1983. Nowadays, some critics say that
Canadian law is still not equitable when it comes to sexual violence, arguing
that the courts often go too easy on men accused of it. The case of former star
radio host Jian Ghomeshi,
whom multiple complainants charged with sexual assault and who was acquitted of
all charges in 2016, is a prime example cited by such critics.
Canada’s law is based on British common law, which was very permissive about
violence against women and girls,” Bourgeois continued, pointing out that
marital rape was legal as late as 1983. Nowadays, some critics say that
Canadian law is still not equitable when it comes to sexual violence, arguing
that the courts often go too easy on men accused of it. The case of former star
radio host Jian Ghomeshi,
whom multiple complainants charged with sexual assault and who was acquitted of
all charges in 2016, is a prime example cited by such critics.
“In
Canada, we like to think we’re better than other countries,” Bourgeois told me.
“We may not have something like what’s happening with Boko Haram. And we may have
more support for survivors, and more strategies intended to educate folks. But
we have very polite violence against women and children that sometimes gets
masked. And we have not seen a reduction in violence.” A 2013 Statistics
Canada report noted that over the prior decade, the rate of homicide
against women had remained stable; the rate of other forms of violence against
women had also been stable in the preceding 15 years.
Canada, we like to think we’re better than other countries,” Bourgeois told me.
“We may not have something like what’s happening with Boko Haram. And we may have
more support for survivors, and more strategies intended to educate folks. But
we have very polite violence against women and children that sometimes gets
masked. And we have not seen a reduction in violence.” A 2013 Statistics
Canada report noted that over the prior decade, the rate of homicide
against women had remained stable; the rate of other forms of violence against
women had also been stable in the preceding 15 years.
The
Canadian government has poured money into supporting those who have experienced
gender-based violence (for example, by funding rape crisis centers), but its
efforts don’t seem to be doing much good when it comes to prevention. Bourgeois
said that’s because they haven’t targeted the root cause: misogynistic
thinking, and the persistent belief among some that men should dominate over
women.
Canadian government has poured money into supporting those who have experienced
gender-based violence (for example, by funding rape crisis centers), but its
efforts don’t seem to be doing much good when it comes to prevention. Bourgeois
said that’s because they haven’t targeted the root cause: misogynistic
thinking, and the persistent belief among some that men should dominate over
women.
One group
working on that issue is White Ribbon. The organization was founded in Toronto
in 1991 as a reaction to the Montreal massacre. Since then it has spread to 60
countries, making it the world’s largest movement of men and boys dedicated to
ending violence against women. Its strategy involves helping individual men
review their own attitudes and behaviors, and then encouraging them to be good
role models for boys, peers, and coworkers. White Ribbon also runs programs in
schools and corporations.
working on that issue is White Ribbon. The organization was founded in Toronto
in 1991 as a reaction to the Montreal massacre. Since then it has spread to 60
countries, making it the world’s largest movement of men and boys dedicated to
ending violence against women. Its strategy involves helping individual men
review their own attitudes and behaviors, and then encouraging them to be good
role models for boys, peers, and coworkers. White Ribbon also runs programs in
schools and corporations.
“This is
close to home for us,” the executive director, Humberto Carolo, said of the
Toronto attack, “both because our office is just a few kilometers from where
this happened, and because this follows in the path of the tragedies dating
back to the Montreal massacre. … It’s young men taking their hatred out on
women.”
close to home for us,” the executive director, Humberto Carolo, said of the
Toronto attack, “both because our office is just a few kilometers from where
this happened, and because this follows in the path of the tragedies dating
back to the Montreal massacre. … It’s young men taking their hatred out on
women.”
Carolo
sounded an optimistic note about a new strategy
that Canada is launching to address gender-based violence; Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau’s 2017 federal budget allocated $100 million to the cause. “The
federal government has introduced a strategy for engagement with men and boys,
which is pretty unique around the world,” Carolo said. “That points to the
government’s commitment to address the root causes.”
sounded an optimistic note about a new strategy
that Canada is launching to address gender-based violence; Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau’s 2017 federal budget allocated $100 million to the cause. “The
federal government has introduced a strategy for engagement with men and boys,
which is pretty unique around the world,” Carolo said. “That points to the
government’s commitment to address the root causes.”
Bourgeois
was doubtful, though. She has already seen the government sink millions into
promising-sounding plans only to watch them founder. In 2016, Canada launched
an independent, $53.8-million national
inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. But
now some families of the victims say
they’ve lost confidence in the ongoing process, which has become bogged down in
controversies, missed deadlines, and resignations.
was doubtful, though. She has already seen the government sink millions into
promising-sounding plans only to watch them founder. In 2016, Canada launched
an independent, $53.8-million national
inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. But
now some families of the victims say
they’ve lost confidence in the ongoing process, which has become bogged down in
controversies, missed deadlines, and resignations.
“That’s
painful and it leaves me with very little hope at certain moments,” Bourgeois
told me. “That being said, I think maybe even if the government isn’t ready,
Canadians are ready. #MeToo has galvanized women across the country. And after
seeing what happened in Toronto, I can’t imagine Canada continuing to turn a
blind eye to the death toll of misogyny.”
painful and it leaves me with very little hope at certain moments,” Bourgeois
told me. “That being said, I think maybe even if the government isn’t ready,
Canadians are ready. #MeToo has galvanized women across the country. And after
seeing what happened in Toronto, I can’t imagine Canada continuing to turn a
blind eye to the death toll of misogyny.”
Even
though Bourgeois said that for many years Canada did seem to largely ignore the
death toll among indigenous women, she added that now, “people will be more
likely to pay attention because this was in Toronto—in an urban center where
there’s a lot of wealth. … Some lives are worth more than others in this
country.”
though Bourgeois said that for many years Canada did seem to largely ignore the
death toll among indigenous women, she added that now, “people will be more
likely to pay attention because this was in Toronto—in an urban center where
there’s a lot of wealth. … Some lives are worth more than others in this
country.”
That’s an
uncomfortable thought for many proud Canadians, and many others around the
world who perceive Canada as a paragon of gender equality and multiculturalism.
The country has a lot more work to do—and the incel attack in Toronto is a
reminder. When I asked Carolo what he felt his organization should do in
response to the attack, he responded matter-of-factly: “We have to scale up.”
uncomfortable thought for many proud Canadians, and many others around the
world who perceive Canada as a paragon of gender equality and multiculturalism.
The country has a lot more work to do—and the incel attack in Toronto is a
reminder. When I asked Carolo what he felt his organization should do in
response to the attack, he responded matter-of-factly: “We have to scale up.”
