Polytechnique Massacre & Personal Trauma Fuel Call for Enhanced Campus Safety
Nearly four decades after the tragic shooting at École Polytechnique, and decades after another devastating loss at Western university, the fight for safety and equity on college campuses remains a critical, deeply personal battle. A veteran of the post-secondary system shares a harrowing story of stalking and survival, underscoring the urgent need for complete support systems and a fundamental shift in addressing gender-based violence.
The events of December 6, 1989, at École Polytechnique in Montreal, where 14 women were murdered and 28 others injured, continue to resonate with a profound and lasting impact. “Thirty-six years of marking the tragedy have yet to dull its impact,” one survivor reflects, recalling being an undergraduate student at Western University in London, Ontario, when the shooting occurred. Just five months later, in April 1990, the campus community was again shaken by the sexual assault and murder of Lynda Shaw, an engineering student, near Ingersoll, Ontario. The proximity of this second tragedy
This survivor’s advocacy stems from a deep-seated belief that personal safety, security, and overall well-being are foundational to learning and student success.
This conviction is not merely professional; it is deeply personal. In 2016, the survivor publicly revealed a harrowing experience with stalking that occurred during her doctoral program at Bowling Green State University. The ordeal began with noticing a man in army fatigues repeatedly appearing in her periphery – outside her classroom, at the gym, and eventually, outside her apartment. his presence was unsettling, marked by lewd comments, intense stares, and a pervasive sense of being watched.
“He rarely spoke to me, but when he did, it was lewd. Mostly,he just stared,glared and smirked,” she recalled. Despite altering her schedule in an attempt to evade him,his presence remained constant,consuming her life and prompting meticulous documentation of his behavior. This documentation ultimately led to his arrest and a landmark conviction – the first under Ohio’s menacing by stalking statute, resulting in a two-year jail sentence.
Though, securing that conviction was a deeply traumatic process. “To secure the conviction, I had to tell him, repeatedly, that the attention was unwanted. Nothing I have done before or as was more frightening,” she admitted. The experience triggered months of fear, panic attacks, and lasting anxiety. Even now, she remains easily startled and averse to surprises.The ordeal also impacted her academic performance,physical health,and mental well-being.
The survivor acknowledges her own privilege – a white,third-generation Canadian with a strong family support system and a history of academic and athletic achievement,including a U.S. Open swimming title. Yet, even with these advantages, she was nearly broken by gender-based violence. This realization underscores the vulnerability of all individuals, particularly those lacking the same level of support. “Nobody – NOBODY – shoudl have to experience bullying, abuse, harassment or discrimination, but what about women who don’t have the support system I did?” she asks, highlighting the compounded challenges faced by those experiencing wage disparity and other barriers to access.
The survivor’s story is a powerful call to action. It demands that those in positions of leadership within the post-secondary sector leverage their expertise and commit to creating safer, more equitable environments for all students. This commitment, she asserts, is a direct tribute to the memory of the 14 women murdered at École Polytechnique:
Geneviève Bergeron
Helene Colgan
Nathalie croteau
Barbara daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Maryse laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia pelletier
michele Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie turcotte
Barbara Klucznik-widajewicz
“In memory of the 14 women murdered at École Polytechnique, this is my commitment to every member of the Memorial University community.”
