An awareness march is in the works
Nov 10, 2008 - 03:17 PM
By Stefanie Swinson
OSHAWA -- The outpouring of support "keeps growing" on the world wide web for an Oshawa lesbian couple who were attacked outside their children's elementary school last week.
Anji Dimitriou and Jane Currie say they were assaulted by another student's father on Nov. 3 just as classes let out for the day at Gordon B. Attersley elementary school.
"In shock" over what happened, Ms. Dimitriou, 30, looked to the Internet networking website Facebook to tell their story.
"In the beginning we felt alone," Ms. Dimitriou said. "Now, we have a support system."
The group Ms. Dimitriou set up, "Gay women get battered at children's school," has more than 2,250 members and Ms. Dimitriou said the number keeps getting bigger.
"I was reading a few posts on the message board and when I hit refresh there was so many more members. There are more and more every few minutes." She said she is constantly online, "back and forth on the group page."
The members of the group aren't just from Durham Region. Users from across the United States and Europe are offering support to the couple.
"People are just disgusted with what happened. I have had so many people contact me offering a lot of support," Ms. Dimitriou said a week after the attack happened. "That's what is getting us through this. We don't know any of these people and for a community to come together, it's amazing."
The exclusive news story and video report by newsdurhamregion.com was posted on Facebook, and the response was immediate.
"I don't personally know either of you but I when I read this story it brought tears to my eye," wrote Maggie Smith.
"(I've) never spoken to either of you but it is obvious to see that you are both two very strong women and I will back you up every step of the way in your fight for justice!" wrote Ali Reddick.
To spread the word even further Ms. Currie, 37, and Ms. Dimitriou are working with P-FLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) to plan a rally to bring awareness to the community. They are still in the planning stages but Ms. Dimitriou said they hope to march around Oshawa City Hall on Friday.
"I hope it brings awareness and it shows people were not afraid to be who we are," Ms. Dimitriou said . "I want him (the accused) to see, I guess, that we are people. We're not scared, so he can't go around bullying people. I want him to see that what he did was wrong."
Ms. Dimitriou estimates that about 1,000 people will participate in the rally. "The only people who said they couldn't come were people from the United States and the UK."
Mark Scott, 43, of Oshawa, faces two charges of assault causing bodily harm in connection with the incident.
Mr. Scott will make his first court appearance on Dec. 16.
Log on to newsdurhamregion.com for updates on this story.
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