“Support Of C-510 (roxanne's Law) Sign Petition”

Published by Rod Bruinogooge on May 11, 2010

Category: Politics

Region: Canada

Target: Parliament of Canada

Web site: http://roxanneslaw.ca

Roxanne Fernando moved to Canada from the Philippines in 2003. Friends and family called her "Apple," and would describe her as a kind, gentle young woman.

In February 2007, Roxanne was found brutally beaten in a snowy ditch outside of Winnipeg. She had died from extensive blood loss. She was only 24 years old.

Why would someone murder an innocent pregnant woman? Answer: because she refused to have an abortion.

Roxanne's boyfriend had gotten her pregnant and was trying to coerce her to have an abortion. Roxanne wanted to keep the baby, but he kept intimidating her to abort. When she refused and backed out of her appointments, he and two friends beat her brutally and left her to die in a ditch.

Roxanne stood up for her unborn child and is now recognized as a hero by many Canadians. Her bravery in the face of violence is admirable, but her story should have never had such a tragic ending.

Roxannes Law would empower pregnant women to take legal recourse when they find themselves facing coercion. Such empowerment could prevent coercion from escalating to violence like it did with Roxanne.