TRURO, N.S. — Emma Halpern was just 12 years old when she heard on the radio that 14 people in Montreal were murdered, simply for being women.
Today, Halpern is a lawyer and feminist who fights for women in the justice system, prison and victims or sexual or domestic violence. On Dec. 6, she joined other women in Truro to light a candle for the École Polytechnique victims, exactly 30 years after the day that changed her life.
“I was in my kitchen – I’ll never forget where I was,” recalled Halpern, now 42. “It definitely influenced the future for me.”
As Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, Halpern now deals with women in crisis almost daily. Many have ended up in prison or court and are struggling with past traumatic experiences.
She recalled one women at a Halifax transition house who went missing for two nights. She returned with her clothes torn and covered in dirt after being sexually assaulted. The police officer who brought her back did not conduct an investigation or take her to hospital, according to Halpern.
But even in such grim situations, Halpern can find hope for a better future, one where women do not fear for their lives.
“She was in her bed and there were women from their house with her, rubbing her back, holding her back, holding her hand, there were staff sitting on the floor, there was kindness [and] words of love,” said Halpern. “I think in that moment I saw the future of what we need to see, in terms of women’s safe spaces.”
Truro resident Stephanie Atwood created her own safe space to support other women.
Her organization ElevateHER focuses on women, families and youth and often partners with the Elizabeth Fry Society. It offers both group-based and individual programming, as well as mental health support for its clients.
Atwood founded ElevateHER after being sexually abused by her father for 20 years. The trauma led her down a “bad path,” until she found a way to turn her life around.
“I realized I was giving so much power to him and I tried reaching out for support and there wasn’t any,” said Atwood, 30. “That made me realize this didn’t happen to ruin me. It happened to me to empower other women, to make sure this cannot continue to be a cycle for women in our society.”
For Halpern, preventing future Montreal massacres or other violence against women means more than simply getting guns off the street.
The solution involves governments and police co-ordinating their approaches to helping women in need. Halpern and Atwood say it also means educating and empowering men and boys to fight misogyny, starting from school age up.
Halpern said such an approach would build a more caring and loving community for everyone.
“Care for each other,” said Halpern. “Care for yourselves, because that’s how we’re going to make sure that we’re not going to see any more Dec. 6ths, where 14 women are murdered.”
The Truro commemoration for the École Polytechnique massacre was hosted by The Lotus Centre – A Resource for Women and the Third Place Transition House.
