Willful Manslaughter

Another woman dies, at the hand of her abusive husband.

More than half

Of the world's population

Is female.

And yet

We are treated

Worse than pets

Under the criminal law.

As if

We don't matter

Beyond the children

We bear.

At what point

Do we move

Beyond being chattel

To be bought

And sold?

Recognized

As individuals

Who matter

And have value.

Enacting laws

Which have real teeth

In protecting us

From lethal harm.

Unlike

The current paper laws

Which do nothing.

To protect us

From abuse

By a family member

Or former lover.

How many more deaths

Will it take

Before action is taken?

Too many have died

As coroner reports

Sit on government shelves

Collecting more dust.

Author's Note

gotcha: skewerer

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/yusuf-osman-abdille-id-d-as-dead-man-connected-to-thorncliffe-park-homicides-1.2858834

Reviews

[willweb]

Well you know I had to read this because it had Will in the title. Yes indeed, this is a sad situation and it needs to be dealt with and from what I see, it is. Each day that goes by, because of the internet and spilt second news traveling across the world people are starting to take notice and hopefully this will help. It will unfortunately never end the abuse, because there will always be those who have no disregard for people or the laws, but it could help. Maybe your poem will help as well...I think maybe it already has.

[therisa]

Using "will" in the title was a fluke, Will, as I debate, whether to use; "Murder, In The Second", or "Depraved Indifference", as alternatives. Not sure, this poem will make a difference, given the increased reports of violence against women, globally. One can only hope so.

[willweb]

I was just joking about Will being in the title. :)

[therisa]

I know, but sharing the other possible titles, for this poem, with you.

[MomzillaNC]

Too very true. The statistics are appalling. Every single woman, according to those stats, will face some kind of gender-based abuse and/or harrasment.

NOTES: More [than] half

[therisa]

Worse, Momzilla, there aren't enough shelters for women and children to access, here.

[MomzillaNC]

There aren't enough shelters anywhere.

[therisa]

When something is needed, there's never enough, to go around.

[Shekinah2015]

That is all so true! I particularly agree with the second stanza. It's so sad what our world has got to.

[therisa]

Thank you, Victoria. I think, the issue has always been here, but never reported, like it is, now.

[icelandicblue]

I read your attachment and it seems that life has little value for some if they can't keep it trapped in a glass jar. It is a terrible tragedy retold again and again around the globe.

[therisa]

Thank you, Icelandicblue. And there doesn't seem to be, an end, in sight.

[steven]

Women matter, more than men perhaps, they created us after all. without women people would not be born everyday. It is wrong to mistreat them. They are wonderful people. You have to be really stupid to mistreaat them in anyway!

[therisa]

Thank you, Steve, for your review. Some people never learn the boundary between disagreeing and outright assault, whether, it's verbal, physical or psychological. I say people, because the abuser can be female.

[Lyn Anderson]

Wow. Powerful stuff here, and really amazing gut wrenching work. I agree with you on all counts. There still is a huge problem. It is with domestic abuse in general, and sometimes it's the woman who is the abuser, either way, the laws are inadequate and ineffective, and we wait until another tragedy occurs to tsk tsk again. I really thought at points I would end up in the newspaper as the victim. I had the police to my home twice in 10 years, and each time the experience was not one that left me empowered and feeling safe, but more fearful and wary.
Note -- More than half (as opposed to More half)

[therisa]

Thank you, KL. When will this violence against women, ever end? Am so frustrated to see another woman, become a victim to this.