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| Viewing Page 1 of 1 (Total Posts: 10) |
| Author | Comment |
Ken Miles
 Jul 20, 05 - 1:41 PM |
All 2 True in Edmonton
A couple of years ago, writing about the need for the police to put together a task force to delve into the growing number of missing and murdered prostitutes in the Edmonton area, we said that there would be no way that the same number of soccer moms could go missing and later be found dead on the outskirts of town without citizens quickly and loudly demanding police action. And as we've seen over the past week, it didn't take a dozen or more missing middle-class women to jump-start a manhunt and massive police search. It only took one: Liana White. Now let us be absolutely clear here: We are not saying that Edmonton city police should have ignored the missing pregnant woman and paid no attention to the case. We are not saying that the many volunteers who have come out to help search for her body should have stayed home. Indeed, in tough times like this, it's comforting to see complete strangers rally around a family in crisis. And White's family should expect that the police would put as many resources as possible into finding Liana. In fact, anyone who has a loved one suddenly go missing like Liana did should expect that kind of response from both police and the surrounding community. But the honest truth is that the families of the missing and murdered prostitutes have simply not received the same kind of treatment from society. Where are all the search parties for, say, Corrie Renee Ottenbreit, who has been missing since May 9, 2004? Or how about any of the other girls who went missing only to later turn up in a field outside of town? In fact, we sympathize with any of the families of the missing or dead prostitutes who are looking at the White case and finding that it confirms their worst fears about society's prejudices: that girls - particularly native girls - can disappear with impunity and no one cares about them because they don't count; they're just drug-addled hookers and society would be better off without them. To be sure, the problems that police face in locating missing prostitutes is complicated by their often transient lifestyle and general distrust for law-enforcement figures. And sometimes they're not even reported missing. But we do not believe that anyone can look at the massive search that went on for Liana White and say with a straight face that this is exactly the kind of effort that went into finding any of the other young women before they turned up dead on the outskirts of Edmonton. No, there are still terrible double standards in our society. There are still ugly ingrained prejudices. And there are still women going missing. Only we seem to care more about some than others. |
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Shawna
Jul 20th, 2005 - 10:42 PM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
maybe it would help if we asked the Serial Killer to join the search party. Liana's body was found by the husband's team?? (I say with bitterness)(tenfold) I have no idea why it is that, when a prostitute IS REPORTED MISSING the police don't announce it the way they did with Liana. With Ottenbreit and Maggie Lee Burke... the public didn't know for months (even though the girls were reported missing much sooner). 
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Marcella
Jul 29th, 2005 - 11:57 PM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
Have the EPS or RCMP ever sent out a "search and recovery" for either of the two missing women (Ottenbriet and Burke)? |
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Bekkie
Aug 27th, 2005 - 10:26 PM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
I do not believe any search parties have been put together for either girl. On another forum (project kare site) we inquired how we should go about setting one up, and the police basically tried to deter us from it... saying that there are legalities and that it could jepardize the case. It's getting to the point where I don't care if they give their blessing... If they would just train us properly, then we would be ready for anything that came our way, if they aren't willing to... oh well then, what difference does it make if we come across something, or someone walking their dog does. Something needs to be done. When Teri-Lynn House went missing (not a big case, not much media coverage) Myself and another took it on to ourselves to find her... and within a week she was tracked down in Cranbrook BC. It didn't take much... a few phone calls to the media, and we were good to go. Now I've set up a site with missing persons from the Alberta region, and I am hoping to get some people together so we can actively begin looking for individuals (Specifically Corrie and Maggie) If anyone is interested in helping, please visit my site (www.punkrockprincess.ca --> don't let the name fool you, I have not been able to register a new domain yet and so I am currently using my personal webspace for this) and click on the link to the forum. I really hope we can bring these girls home. Thank you for listening. |
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Wendy
Sep 29th, 2005 - 11:27 AM |
Registry tries to keep girls alive
Venus knows all too well the risks of the sex trade. She's been in the business for more than 25 years. She has seen everything, and says these days are the most dangerous ever for city prostitutes. Edmonton's streets are a contradictory and deadly mix of endemic suspicion and unquestioning trust. On one hand, Edmonton prostitutes live with the constant, gnawing fear that a serial killer is slowly picking them off and dumping their bodies in fields outside the city. On the other hand, the women continue to climb into cars with men whose names they don't even know and who obviously have no regard for them whatsoever. On one hand, the police are sworn to sweep the streets clean of anyone buying or selling sex. In this case, their primary loyalty is to the citizens whose neighbourhoods are being poisoned by trolling johns, discarded condoms, needles and violence. On the other hand, they're expected to earn the prostitutes' confidence, to convince them that they can protect them and put an end to the serial killer's reign of terror. The cops know that they'll only catch him with the prostitutes' help. Everything about the sex trade is dangerous. Any john, whether he looks like he slept in his car or he's driving a $120,000 Jag, could be a violent psycho. Disease is everywhere. And it's a cash business. Although it's rarely reported, prostitutes are routinely robbed and beaten, and then beaten again by their pimps for being robbed. "But the biggest problem," says Venus, "are all the conflicting laws in this country about prostitution. And in Edmonton it's even worse because we even have conflicting municipal bylaws." That's why Venus and a group of volunteers who have never worked as prostitutes have come up with a plan of their own to help street walkers stay safer. Tellingly, Venus asked that she be referred to only by her "stage name" to protect her anonymity. You just never know who's going to read the paper these days. This weekend, Venus and her crew will hit the streets, passing out flyers and business cards to prostitutes, urging them to sign up for Seen Me Lately, a prostitutes' registry. "We're going to ask for limited information," she says. "Just the streetwalkers' name, phone number and two contacts' numbers. The contacts are her friends and they are the ones that should have all her vital information. We want to be as uninvasive as possible." It's not about registering DNA so they can be identified after they're killed. This registry, which will be kept in strictest confidence, is about keeping in contact with them, and hopefully, keeping them alive. The prostitutes will be expected to phone into an answering machine each day. If they fail to check in, they'll be called the following day. If, after 48 hours, they still haven't made contact, the friends are phoned and asked if they know the client's whereabouts. If the friends have not had contact either, explained volunteer Rae Draycott, "we'll go with the friends to the police and report them missing." There is no government involvement at all in the project. The five women involved are paying for everything - phone line, flyers and a website - out of their own pocket. "It's not that expensive, really," says Venus. "It's worth it to just absorb the costs." Danielle Boudreau, another volunteer, sums up the purpose of Seen Me Lately by saying, "We'll be in contact with these women every day, even if it's just a voicemail, just make sure they're OK. And they'll know that somebody out there cares. We don't want anything back from them. We just care." |
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Wendy
Apr 5th, 2006 - 12:10 PM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
Found this in the sun today: Stigma hampering probe? By CARY CASTAGNA, EDMONTON SUN Society's failure to treat sex workers as human beings worthy of dignity and respect could be hampering the search for a serial killer in Edmonton, suggests a prostitute-turned-university professor. Susan Strega, who turned tricks on the streets of Winnipeg before earning her PhD in social work, says too many citizens - including the media - marginalize sex workers as disposable. "That fosters the idea that when a sex worker is killed, it's not that serious of a situation and we don't have to worry that much," Strega told the Sun yesterday. "So people don't think about information they have that might be helpful because they're not very concerned." Strega, who now teaches at the University of Victoria, is convinced someone in Edmonton has vital information about the case but hasn't stepped forward. She said she remains hopeful that the $100,000 reward for tips leading to the conviction of Edmonton's serial killer will eventually loosen lips "before more women are murdered." Strega spoke at a one-day conference yesterday in Edmonton hosted by the Canadian National Coalition of Experiential Women, a lobby group for sex workers. The coalition - including street prostitutes, escorts, exotic dancers and adult film workers from across the country - is calling on the federal government to reform Canada's sex-trade laws. They want Ottawa to decriminalize solicitation for prostitution, while also striking down a section of the Criminal Code dealing with common bawdy houses. Samantha Smyth, an ex-stripper in Ottawa, argues the laws are ineffective and make prostitutes' work more dangerous. The coalition also is pushing for sex workers to receive benefits under provincial labour laws and to be provided with a safe work site. "Sex work is not illegal in Canada and every human being has a right to a safe place to work," Smyth said. |
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Mr
Mar 16th, 2007 - 7:29 PM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
Ken Miles is a jack off. He is so full of **** about all this stuff. He uses sex workers to get attention for his own financial gains. If you fall for this blow hard idiot , get your head examined. He has a hard enough time not getting arrested for screwing everyone who meets him. Anyway have a great day. I am sure he will delete this anyway. |
Carol-Lynn
Mar 26th, 2007 - 12:50 AM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
What can I say but WOW o this.Ken Miles has done so much FREE work for us on the web site and I would like to thank him for that.He has put in hours and hours looking after it and is a GREAT guy. Ken if you come to this board THANK YOU for all your help. "Stay Safe" Kat 
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nobody
Apr 3rd, 2007 - 1:57 AM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
It's interesting that when a person sticks their neck out to help they must be in it for something. I would like to see more people get into helping others get help for themselves or others for any reason after all help is help. This other imposter above sounds like he is feeling left out or perhaps he is threatened by those that are pure of spirit and will help knowing that it will make them a target for people that can only find attention by misleading others with slander and ill will. |
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somebodycares
Jan 24th, 2008 - 12:57 PM |
Re: All 2 True in Edmonton
Yes I agree, those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth. Some people have become accustom to believing thier own lies. This imposter forgets that she left a slew of victims in her path, and that Jesus Christ still lives, and knows each and every one of them, her and her groupies will all be "found out". The best things are for FREE. |
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