Marlene Alain (left), Wendy Mohr and Janet Enoch rally on the steps of Vernon Law Courts in support of missing and murdered indigenous women Thursday. Meanwhile, Curtis Wayne Sagmoen appeared via video in the courthouse to set upcoming appearance dates. (Parker Crook/Morning Star)

Marlene Alain (left), Wendy Mohr and Janet Enoch rally on the steps of Vernon Law Courts in support of missing and murdered indigenous women Thursday. Meanwhile, Curtis Wayne Sagmoen appeared via video in the courthouse to set upcoming appearance dates. (Parker Crook/Morning Star)

Women deserve respect

LETTER: Article referencing victims as sex trade workers upsets

In the March 9, 2018 edition of The Morning Star, Parker Crook reported in a brief article that trial dates had been set for Curtis Sagmoen.

In the first paragraph of his article Mr. Crook wrote “A Silver Creek man accused of attacking sex workers has a trial date set in this year’s calendar.”

I am offended that the victims are simply referred to and written off as sex workers. What these women were doing to survive their circumstances is not relevant to this article. They are women. They were vulnerable.

Solely referencing their activity at the time of their victimization is reductionist and demeaning.

Please remember Mr. Crook that these women deserve our respect and our intense gratitude that they have come forward to the police.

The sentence should have read “A Silver Creek man accused of attacking three local women has a trial date set in this year’s calendar.”

Susan Armstrong

Armstrong


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Vernon Morning Star