Sign our petition to have her choice count in the charges against her killer.
The premise of our cause, first and foremost, is that a woman who has CHOSEN to become a mother deserves and should have the protection of law for the life that represents her CHOICE.
There is a difference between what the “choice of a woman” is and what the choice of a violent criminal to commit homicide on her and her unborn child. This difference is obvious and inarguable, and for the protection of women – both their physical self and their legal right to choose – it needs to be acknowledged.
It was not Cassie’s choice to abort Molly. Both Cassie and Molly were victims of homicide. Why then should it be that the person who causes our Molly’s death be entitled to the legal right that was only meant for Cassie?
Our tragedy exposes the fallacy of “woman’s choice” and reveals the fact that it is actually anyone’s choice when the life of an unborn child is destroyed – Even violent criminals who specifically target the babies of women who have made a clear CHOICE to carry them to term. How can this continue to be so in Canada?
The generally accepted perspective regarding the rights of the fetus and the pregnant woman is that an increase in the rights of the former will certainly lead to a decrease in the rights of the latter.
In the case of “Cassie and Molly’s Law” such a concern is not valid. This law can ONLY ever be used in cases where a pregnant woman is the victim of crime. An offence to the woman must first exist for this aggravating factor to be included. Cassie and Molly’s law is NOT a stand-alone offence. The understanding of this fact is imperative to anyone with the false notion that such a law gives legal personhood to preborn babies or criminalize pregnant women. IT DOES NOT and WILL NOT.
It has been our experience that to not have such a law is counter to the rights of women who choose to keep their pregnancy. It is our opinion that a woman’s choice must be protected in BOTH directions. This is a law that would accomplish just that.
By legally defining a preborn baby in the manner done in this carefully worded criminal law will ONLY serve to protect the mother and her child, and in fact, ultimately serve to strengthen woman’s rights by filling the legal void that exists for woman that have chosen to become mothers but who are yet to give birth. Shouldn’t their choice matter too?
Such a law will:
- Provide legal protection for women in cases of violence, which is statistically shown to increase during pregnancy, by more severely punishing acts of violent crime perpetrated against them, and in turn, their babies.
- Allow restorative justice to families affected by such unimaginable tragedies by legally acknowledging the full reality of their loss of each of their family members – NOT JUST ONE.
- Strengthen the rights of woman by making it so the legal “choice” that is meant to be theirs, can become truly and legally hers – and in cases where her choice is offended against there can be substantive legal repercussion to the offender.
Such a law won’t:
- Change abortion laws.
- Give person-hood to an unborn baby.
- Subtract anything from a women’s established rights.
Written by Cassandra Kaake
Facebook post on October 3, 2014 –
Six more things I am grateful for. I didn’t do it yesterday, so here it goes…
#1- My body’s ability to procreate (smile emoticon) I have never felt so completely happy in all of my life.
#2- Every little movement I feel every day, when my little girl reminds me of why everything was all, and is all worth it.
#3- Jeff. For giving me this beautiful life changing gift.
#4- Alexa. For being so excited with me, and for being a part of so much already. I really appreciate it (smile emoticon)
#5-The Spencers. I can’t even begin to explain my gratitude for the way you made me a part of your family so long ago, and still consider me a part of it. So many fond memories (smile emoticon)
#6- My paycheque. It’s nothing grande, but it gets me what I need.
CASSANDRA KAAKE, ecstatic and beaming, CHOSE to extend her humanity and give life to MOLLY.
This is not justice…
How many families affected by such terrible crimes will be made to beg and plead for justice to be served? For a legal acknowledgement that reflects the truth and the reality of the crime and their loss?
40 Pregnant Women Murdered – 80 Lives Gone
When will the our law makers take MEANINGFUL action against the ones responsible? When will they protect a woman’s choice to become a mother?
Molly’s sister Alexa at Molly’s “Reveal Party” that she planned and coordinated.
It was here in September that our family found out that we would have a sister, a niece, a granddaughter.
How can the loss of her sister remain unrepresented?
The government of Canada issues warnings to pregnant woman for the sake of the health of their unborn babies, but offers ZERO legal protection from acts of violence committed on them.
It is not a law for anyone at anytime for any reason to kill an unborn baby in Canada. Maybe Health Canada should issue a warning to all expectant mothers are on their own against violent acts committed upon their unborn children.
This is a very healthy Molly at 5 months gestation – Two months before she was killed with her mother…
The media reminds us that dogs have more legal recognition than Molly’s life and Cassie’s choice to be a mother.
How can this dog from the very same community have more legal recognition than them?
How can this remain true for all of Canada?
To see such social imbalance is a painful reminder to every one of Cassie’s and Molly’s loved ones that our country needs to do something more for people like them, and like us – why haven’t we?
It is the right thing to do…
When it is the choice of the mother to make the rights of her child indistinguishable from her own as human – we must find a way to reflect and uphold that choice with law.
Until we do, what we refer to as a “woman’s choice” is not truly her own, it is not protected, and we are only perpetuating the flase notion that it belongs to her. To continue doing so comes at the detriment of her own protection exctly when she needs it most.
We are asking Canada to wake up to this fallacy – and protect a woman’s choice in BOTH directions.
WE HAVE the ability with language to do better for both. We believe this has been accomplished with ‘Cassie and Molly’s Law’.
It is time to acknowledge such a law for what it is, and let it speak for itself to those who would rather complicate it into something it is not.
It’s time to acknowledge such crimes against women for the reality of their impact.
As Molly’s father and as a Canadian, I beg you – please reflect on this outside of party politics – and see that for this we must consider choice and life as one when it is violently torn away by the bloodied hands of a criminal who should have no right to either.
Protect these women by protecting the babies that they choose to give birth to.
Please find the wisdom to see that supporting Bill C-225 is the right thing to do…
Cassie and Molly deserve that…
