Op-Ed about Kelly-Anne's death
Fear still a factor
The Suburban
The last eight days of testimony into the second-degree murder trial of Martin Morin-Cousineau, accused of stabbing to death his live-in girlfriend, Kelly-Anne Drummond, has revealed information all too commonly repeated in domestic violence cases. Women who have had their lives threatened by their partners are just too afraid to leave. Prior to her death, Kelly-Anne had tried to come up with an exit plan but according to the testimony of a friend, was too afraid to aggravate the situation and further anger her boyfriend. Just four days before Kelly-Anne was killed, her father offered to take her back to his house. She refused. And she paid for it with her life.
In spite of being threatened, and although Kelly-Anne was scared, she still did not leave immediately. But if she had, what protection could she have depended on? Her boyfriend had not physically beat her. Who would have protected her had Morin-Cousineau tracked her down?
Could Kelly-Anne’s death been avoided? Of course, if we had a system that better meets the needs of women who live in fear of the men who threaten them. Perhaps Kelly-Anne would be alive today if she had been able to walk away from Morin-Cousineau with the sound knowledge that she would have been protected from him being able to turn his threats into reality.
2006-03-29 08:51:31
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