Ojectification & Violence Takes Another Life

[Cross posted at Uncensored Feminista]

From the Sun Sentinel:

PLANTATION - During a visit to the neighborhood Winn-Dixie, Olidia Kerr Day caught the eye of a man working in the meat department.

He lavished her with compliments, told her she was beautiful. It was awkward, but she thought he was nice, Day later told her grown son and two daughters. [emphasis mine]

"He told her the first time they met that they had known each other in a past life," said Day's son, Edward Kerr, 24.

[...]

Recent interviews reveal how Cevallos deftly wedged his way into Day's life — and wouldn't take no for an answer.

[...]

Day rushed out of the house and past Sosa [her boyfriend], who was outside the garage. She screamed that Cevallos had a gun, Sosa told police.

Day then jumped into her 2002 Honda Accord and sped around the corner. Cevallos followed in his 1998 Toyota Corolla. Sosa drove after them.

Both Day and Sosa called 911 from their cell phones. Day screamed to two 911 operators: "He's going to kill me, man!" [emphasis mine]

She quickly reached the parking lot of the police station at Northwest Fourth Avenue and 70th Terrace, about a mile from her home. Cevallos rammed the back of her car and Day jumped out, barefoot and screaming.

Cevallos shot her from behind, and she fell steps from the station entrance.

Officer Amy Wetzel, 28, ran outside. She fired at Cevallos but missed.

Cevallos shot Day once more before putting the gun to his head and pulling the trigger.

This one is close to home. This poor woman was stalked by this man from the meat department at her local Winn-Dixie and was killed by this man in front of a police station.  What I don't understand fully from this is what happened with the 911 calls? Why did they have to call twice to let 911 operators know what was going on?  Did the operators not believe that something this serious was going on?

From this article it seems that her niceness was her eventual undoing because although this man was coming on to her and making her feel uncomfortable, she said she felt he was a "nice man" and even allowed him in her house to help her fix the plumbing in the house.

In my opinion, this is a good example of how women who are taught to "be nice" can lead to their eventual demise because it's more important to "be nice" than to be safe. Some women are taught that it's a worse offense to be rude to someone than to be safe and I personally have found myself falling into this trap when I felt I was in a situation that was not entirely safe for me. Thankfully nothing ever happened, but the point is something could have.  

Posted by Lissette - July 01, 2008, at 10:53AM | in Violence Against Women
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1 Comments

It's indeed a tragically unjust fate for Olidia. I was bashed up violently and sexually years back in Malaysia here, for daring to shout back at a guy who was trying to sexually harassed me. He assumed I was a 'prostitute' since I was dressed up sexily for a night out. And the police closed the case, without my permission, when he made a counter report a year after the incident, based on the claim by my attacker that "I provoked him!". I'm trying to reopen the case now; I want my justice, no matter how long it takes! Please keep us informed with what justice is pursued for Olidia.

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