Windsor woman wants action in fight to end violence against women

Eva Kratochvil will never forget the names of the 14 women who were executed in Canada's worst mass shooting at Polytechnique Montréal 27 years ago.

The residential counsellor at Hiatus House, a shelter for women facing domestic violence, has attended vigils every year since 1991.

She spoke at this year's vigil, put on by the Women's Centre at the University of Windsor, and hopes people will take action to put an end to violence against women.

"I'd like it to go beyond just one day," Kratochvil said. "We need to inspire others."

Tone of vigils changing

She has seen the tone of the vigils change as time has passed. In the early years, there was a "real sense of hurt and remembrance," she explained as people thought about what those women could have become.

"They were pioneers in the field because there weren't that many women [doing what they did] at that time," Kratochvil said. "You usually were left with a real lump in your throat."

Then there were the years where she said she felt sorry for the men who showed up. Many of the men, allies in the fight against violence against women, felt guilt when listening to the details about how the shooter separated the men from the women before opening fire.

"I actually felt for a lot of men who attended the vigils," Kratochvil said. "We need men to be there to solve this issue of violence against women."

It was on the 14th anniversary of the the Montreal massacre that a speaker at the event asked who knew the name of the shooter. Everyone knew the answer. But not a single person could recall one name of the 14 women who died that day.

"It's important who we remember. I really took that to heart," Kratochvil said. "I know every single woman by name."