We can rage all we want against the father and stepmother of this little girl from Granby whose name we don’t know, but the fact remains that it’s the same story playing out over and over again… We quickly forget in the whirlwind of our lives, but there were Anne-Sophie and Olivier in 2009, killed by a father who was supposed to love them. There was little Rosalie, whose mother’s fate remains undecided despite the clear evidence… There were Lorélie, Loïc, and Annabelle, whose mother, Sonia Blanchette, ultimately died from a hunger strike before learning the outcome of her trial… According to the latest statistics, 6 to 8 children are killed by a family member each year in Quebec.
If we don’t change anything, unfortunately more names will be added to this sad list of children we should have seen but who remained invisible… Why is reporting abuse such a taboo? Why are the warning signs silenced by a society too busy to help a child who scavenges for food in the neighborhood trash cans?
We must stop believing that reporting a case is wrong… If all goes well, the DPJ will only make a brief intervention, a social worker will provide resources, and the case will be closed… We need to change our perspective, shift our mindset—we’re not in elementary school anymore. Reporting a case means helping a child, not “snitching” on a parent. The DPJ is there to protect these children, not to destroy parents.
We need to rethink, on a societal level, how we intervene and how we perceive these situations. A parent who needs help from the DPJ isn’t a parent who has failed—but a parent who needs help and refuses to accept it, yes. I’d like to tell those who have access to these children—teachers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and family friends—that a report is anonymous and no one will reveal your name.
In almost all cases of infanticide, mental health issues and socioeconomic problems have been cited. In almost all cases, the tragedy could have been prevented.
In the long run, education is the key in many cases—not just formal schooling, but also civic and parenting education. We take classes to prepare for childbirth, yet what comes after is far longer and more difficult… Raising a child with support could perhaps save lives—not just those of the children who have died, but also all those scarred by a life too hard for a child, who ultimately become somewhat broken adults, tossed about by the system like a mitten that ends up in the lost-and-found bin.
Let’s use our collective experience to make a difference. Let’s not forget these children and let’s try to honor their memory. Let’s stop believing that a biological parent has more of an impact than a healthy parent with no genetic link. Let’s choose the one who will foster normal personal development, a sense of security, and help build self-esteem that might break the cycle of violence. Let’s talk more about children’s rights and less about parents’ rights. Let’s stop idolizing blood ties at all costs and talk about love instead!
This never-ending story must come to an end, Mr. Legault—what do we do now?