A grassroots initiative to bring awareness to missing and murder women in Canada inspired Sharon Johnson to help start her own awareness campaign in Thunder Bay.
Johnson started the local Full Moon Memory Walk in memory of her sister Sandra in 2005. Sandra, 18, was murdered more than two decades ago. Her murderer was never brought to justice.
When she heard about Tears 4 Justice’s national campaign to raise awareness about missing and murdered women and children she also wanted to something about it.
“It’s just something that I feel like I need to help out with anyway I can,” she said. “I would like to see a break in the case. That’s what we all hope for. Unfortunately, it is not like that. That’s why every little bit helps.”
Having gone through the experiencing of losing a loved one to a violent crime, Johnson said it’s important to continue bringing awareness to the issue.
Volunteers with Tears 4 Justice started their walk from Nova Scotia to British Columbia on June 21. The group made a stop in the city Monday at the Lakehead Labour Centre in order to share some information about their cause.
Johnson said it meant a great deal to see the group and have a chance to speak to them.
Gladys Radek, founder of Tears 4 Justice, said the Conservative government was too lenient on violent crimes such as abuse and murder. Although the Tories passed an omnibus crime bill that laid out minimum sentencing for drug possession, Radek said it does nothing to protect women and children from violent crime.
She said they want a national action plan to deal with this issue.
“There’s a lot of families that are asking for a national inquiry into the reasons why this is happening across the nation,” she said. “We need the government to step up to the plate. Everyone should be kept safe and at this time that isn’t happening.”
In 2007, the United Nations adopted the declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples in Canada. Radek said their human rights are being violated and that has to change.
Radek hopes that more funding will be placed into programs to help women.
Last week city police are investigating Thunder Bay’s second homicide of 2013. Police identified the victim as 30-year-old Shannon Ashley Hogan.
Police have not yet charged anyone in connection to the murder.
Radek said she heard about the murder and added that it just shows that it is a national issue.
