The severe domestic violence problem in the capital region, and Alberta in general, continues unabated. It seems there is a woman being murdered by a man on a regular basis.
The recent murder in Fort Saskatchewan of Colleen Sillito-Kruger was shocking and tragic. Five children are left without their mother and women across the province must be shaken by the crime. The men in this region and province need to stand up and say “That is not the way men behave,” and “We, as men in the capital region and in Alberta, reject violence against women and children.”
There is a great opportunity for local men to do so. The upcoming “Breakfast with the Guys” hosted by Leduc city Mayor Greg Krischke is coming up the second week of November, and is part of a movement across North America for men to get more involved in speaking out against domestic violence.
A fascinating guest speaker will be present, Mark Wynn. Wynn is a 21-year member of the Nashville Metro Police Department and served as lieutenant of the domestic violence division.
All proceeds of the event go towards Leduc’s Riseup House, a women’s outreach centre, and the Camrose Women’s Shelter. The breakfast is not male-exclusive, and everyone is welcome.
Breakfast with the Guys will be held Nov. 9 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Royal Executive Inn. Tickets are $60 per person, or $400 for a table of eight. Tickets are available at Leduc FCSS located at the Leduc Civic Centre in the old Library space at #1 Alexandra Park. Tickets are available until Nov. 6. More information is available by calling Leduc FCSS at 780-980-7109.
Breakfast with the Guys is sponsored by Southfork, Fortis Alberta, Leduc-Nisku EDA, the Leduc Regional Chamber of Commerce and the City of Leduc.
Another woman murdered
Another woman has been murdered and it was a former male partner who did it.
Colleen Sillito-Kruger was murdered in Fort Saskatchewan Oct. 2 by Paul Jacob, who had been terrorizing Sillito-Kruger and her family for some time before finally taking her life. Jacob, in true cowardly fashion, then took his own life. For anyone wondering if the word “coward” applies to Jacob, he surprised then shot an unarmed woman.
Sadly, it should come as no surprise Jacob murdered Sillito-Kruger, as her family said the shooter made his intentions abundantly clear with systemic harassment, assaults, violent threats and multiple violations of a so-called “peace bond.”
Sillito-Kruger’s family has told media that Jacob showed the classic symptoms of a maniacal abuser. Yet, this man was still free in the community. He just walked up to the house and murdered her. This didn’t have to happen. There were and are options.
Alberta Justice recently tested a system in the Red Deer area based on a global positioning system bracelet that a proven violent offender would be court-ordered to wear 24 hours a day. The bracelet is based on GPS signals telling everyone, including police and victims, exactly where the abuser is and where he is heading in real time.
Most if not all victims who’ve been in the same situation Sillito-Kruger endured live in constant fear, wondering where and when the abuser will show up. Is he going to kick down the door at 3 a.m.? Will he ram his pick-up truck through the front wall of the home? The victim wonders…do I have to have an aluminum baseball bat next to the bed in case he comes through the window to kill me?
The GPS system, which apparently was only in a test mode and has been discontinued, would be based on “off the shelf type” technology and the cost, when compared to the risk posed by these abusers, would be negligible. The early warning that victims would get is beyond compare and the province has made a serious mistake by not investigating it further.
Paul Jacob should have had that GPS bracelet on. If he did, then on the morning he murdered Colleen Sillito-Kruger, the mom of five would have known where her abuser was, where he was heading and, as she had experienced before, what he intended to do.