Care About Violence Against Women Always – Not Just When it Comes to Immigration

Preface

I apologize for my radio silence these past several months. I am back in school now and my time has been consumed with academics! However, given the current state of the world, I have found my thoughts constantly consumed by the news and trying to make sense of the seemingly detrimental decisions being made – in just one short week.

There are endless choices made by the Trump Administration, international responses, and conversations I hear amongst my peers that I could comment on. However, I want to start with a topic that has been plaguing my mind and, admittedly, stirring up rage: violence against women being used as an anti-immigration narrative. In my experience, many people are quite loud about immigrants inflicting violence upon American/Canadian women and are silent about this issue already being a domestic epidemic. Violence is being used as a weapon of racism rather than an agent of change stemming from genuine concern for the well-being of women and girls.

Violence and Immigration

The devastating case that has been a major source of these sentiments is the case of Laken Riley. A 22-year-old nurse who an undocumented immigrant brutally murdered while she was simply out for a jog. This case is truly horrific, and the perpetrator is an abhorrent man who should be severely punished. This is a case where the degree of violence is shocking, and this random act was incredibly senseless. Although public outrage is extremely warranted, the response has snowballed into a reaction that has become less about condemning violence against women and is heavily rooted in prejudice and xenophobia.

As of late, I have observed a significant increase in the sentiment of “immigrants make our women unsafe” among young men. This narrative has quickly gained traction and is becoming very common across social media, particularly directed toward Indian immigrants in Canada and Hispanic immigrants in the US. Additionally, a quick keyword Google search of stations like Fox News reveals a multitude of news articles about immigrants and violence, specifically violence against women, within the past year. All of a sudden, men (especially young men) are loudly expressing their passion for advocating against gender-based violence. This should be a pivotal moment in history, where men stand in solidarity with women and commit to reducing violence against women and girls. Slight problem – violence only seems to count when committed by an immigrant.

Resulting from the Laken Riley case, the Laken Riley Act was signed by Trump this past Wednesday, January 29^th. This law essentially requires DHS detention of undocumented immigrants who are charged (this means accused, not convicted), arrested or convicted of breaking the law. Accusations can range from petty theft to violent crimes. Although I strongly believe crime should be punished and in no way do I intend to advocate for open borders, everyone must think critically about this bill and what it means. If you haven’t read To Kill a Mockingbird, now is the time. If a white man pointing a finger now constitutes being shipped off to Trump’s detainment camp in Guantanamo Bay, and this is what the manipulation of public opinion has turned into, I am fearful that compassion will soon be a thoughtcrime (if you haven’t read 1984, now is also the time).

All this being said, at least we’re taking necessary steps toward the prevention of violence against women and girls which is what we’re all concerned about, right?

Violence in Canada and the US

Wrong. Violence against women, specifically intimate partner violence, is an epidemic across North America. Although the border security conversation is more relevant to the US, I am located in Canada where our news and societal sentiments are saturated with American events, so I will be highlighting the epidemic of violence in both countries.

In Canada, in 2022, 184 women and girls were violently killed, primarily by men. One woman or girl is killed every 48 hours. More than 4 in 10 Canadian women experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Furthermore, 1 in 4 women in the United States over the age of 18 experience extreme physical violence by an intimate partner. On average, every night in Canada 3,491 women and their 2,724 children seek refuge in shelters because they are unsafe at home. In the US, almost three women are killed by an intimate partner every day. With the added threat of gun violence, abusers who own a gun in the US are five times more likely to kill their partner. I also must note that Indigenous and racialized women in Canada and the US are at a disproportionate risk of violence

Concerning US and Canadian immigration, I often hear “Criminals should not be able to walk free and re-offend.” I agree. Should this not apply to white men with long histories of domestic violence, assault, and stalking that walk freely? Please read this infographic about Basil Borutski, a Canadian man with a brutal history of violence against women dating back to 1977 who was consistently let off and eventually committed a triple femicide in 2015.

As for America;

“At the forefront of national debates, particularly on college campuses, is Title IX policy, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education and federally funded programs. The Obama administration, in an April 2011 guidance letter from the Office of Civil Rights, offered an expanded interpretation of Title IX policies. It required universities to protect students from sexual violence and sexual harassment on college campuses. The expansion of Title IX under the Obama administration was partly in response to research demonstrating extremely high rates of sexual victimization on college campuses—19 percent in this oft-cited study. The Trump administration has rescinded the letter citing concerns about due-process rights for college students who face student conduct hearings as a result of sexual misconduct”

This is an excerpt from an article in the American Anthropologist, published during Trump’s first term in 2017. By rescinding Foremer President Obama’s policy, he insinuates that an accusation is not enough to suspect young men with bright futures are guilty of rape. Ironic, right?

Violence Against Women and Girls is Not an Anti-Immigration Talking Point

To make my stance abundantly clear: any violence cannot be justified or excused and perpetrators should be severely punished in the justice system. This sentiment goes for all people, and in no way do I intend to defend any violent actions. Especially the ones extremely horrific in nature that are undoubtedly abominable acts committed by abhorrent people, regardless of race or ethnic origin.

The message I hope to convey is that violence is not restricted to one group. Further, violent acts do not only count when they are committed by a specific race. Hold all men who commit violence against women and girls to the same standard. If you use the well-being of women as a justification for strict border policies, it is insulting and wilfully ignorant to stay silent about the issue of violence that already exists. Shed your biases and educate yourself about this issue when it is revealed in your neighbourhood and the perpetrator looks like you.

What a positive change we would see in the world if as many men who are up in arms about violent immigrants held their neighbours and friends accountable. Moreover, imagine the change we would see if in place of virtue signalling, violence and hatred towards women were actually rejected by our society. It is difficult to wrap my mind around how a known abuser is the President of the United States, yet the longest finger is pointed at immigrants.

Using violence against women and girls as an anti-immigration talking point without advocating for an end to violence against women by all races and ethnicities is not allyship and does not convey any care or consideration for women – it’s racist and tone-deaf.

I hope this post does not come across as an attempt to instigate a gender divide. I truly wish that the current outcry was actually about violence against women. I hope to see a cultural shift where men and women stand in solidarity against gender-based violence. Furthermore, I hope to see more young men and women advocate for victims of violence. However, I can’t stay silent and simply watch as a devastating epidemic of violence against women is weaponized to fuel hate and xenophobia while being ignored when it occurs right in our own backyard.