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Once again we are witnessing the reasons that The LoveCry's
Staff, The Toronto Street News Staff and Supporters keep on working with barley any funds and more opposition thrown in our
faces then most could Tolerate. Many times I have been questioned as to why we just don't give up trying to get our Medical
and Political Authority Figures to open their eyes and minds to the Issues of Abuse and Violence within our families and society.
God knows we will all need great help in facing, realizing and dealing with these problems and Greater Leaders to even admit
this situation is far more grave then is being conveyed.
Every day we are confronted with many reasons to face this horrid disease yet barley anything is truly done about it.
All violence done by children is directly related to and a product of our violent and abusive society as well as the fact
that our authority figures flat our refuse to deal with the truth and damage done by this treatment of the human mind.
Below is yet another example of this truth and this time it hit home plate. Anita is a Street Kid that has left many in deep
sadness. She was tough and stubborn but in the wrong places. With a heart of gold and untamed trust, Anita fell into the hell
pits that ends a young kid, living on our streets life. CRACK!
Just another street Kid!
The story never ends,
One more abused kid hits the streets,
Got caught up in the lustful seediness,
Began to crack out and die,
Cold, alone, miles from home,
Feeling like no one cared anyway,
One more blast won't matter,
Before she returned to her,
Vancouver shelter bed for
The night,
This time to fall sleep,
For good,
No one noticed she was stoned,
Or
Even what her name was
Just another street kid,
Dead!
And from her soul
The screams are loud
No one wanted to listen!
Friday evening we at LoveCry, had a visit by two police officers. They had come to ask if we knew of a young girl, with the
sir-name of Markle. The Police in Vancouver British Columbia had found a young girl dead in a shelter in Vancouver. This young
girl had died during her sleep. The only information they could find in her belongings was a business card I had given to
her a few weeks before she left town. There was no identification found, just this card with her last name {Markle} written
on the back.
Little did these officers know but this deceased youth's sister lives in our home. Heather was working on some filing for
the newspaper when the Police arrived. With shock, horror and pain we received the news of Anita Markle's death.
Many of you know this young lady as she lived at LoveCry, from time to time and in the east end of Toronto for a few years.
She panhandled and sold papers on the Danforth, in the Beaches, Queen and John streets, as well as frequently visiting LoveCry,
The Evergreen for Youth, Youth Link, Mary's Home and Covenant House.
Anita left home four years ago due to unrecognisable differences she was having with her parents. Before Anita left her home
she came to talk to me because Heather, Anita's sister advised her to do so. I repeatedly advised Anita to finish school,
get a job and plan from that point. She only had one year to finish her grade twelve diploma.
Anita was showing many sings of major emotional problems so I spoke to both her family and teachers about this. They assured
me that they would see to it that Anita received proper help and attention for these problems.
Less then six months later Anita showed up at our door. She stayed for about one month, could not live with the rules and
went to live with her brother Paul. From there Anita began to drink alcohol and eventually smoke crack.
Anita began to hang around with the wrong crowed and disappeared for very long periods of time. She would pop up out of no-where
after being gone for months or call from jail after being charged with minor offences she committed to maintain her addiction
to crack cocaine.
The last time Anita came to LoveCry to get help quitting her addiction we spent two weeks searching for a re-habilitation
centre for her to get help coming down. We got no-where even with four people searching many days non-stop. Then she was found
beaten and raped in the parking lot near Leslie and Eastern. This beating, was done by a few well-known popcorn-pimps, recruiting
new hookers. We even received threatening calls, at LoveCry, from the perpetrators, letting us know Anita was in grave danger
but not telling us where she was or whom they were. They called us because Heather, Anita's sister works at LoveCry and we
were helping protect Anita from the harm these pimps had been threatening her with prior to her coming to us for help.
While in the hospital the officials did an Identity Check on Anita, because Anita was found with out any identification on
her. The officials found that Anita had an outstanding warrant for a theft done quite a while ago and Anita was arrested and
taken directly to jail as soon as the doctor had finished treating her.
At court both Anita's sister, Heather and myself tried to let the courts know that Anita should go into re-hab as soon as
possible. Heather and myself repeatedly told the Court Officials and Duty Council that Anita needed re-hab. Instead Anita
was let out of jail with orders from the Judge for her to work towards getting the help she needed. Well, as Crack Cocaine
user would do. Anita deceived everyone making promises to our-selves, the Judge and Court
Officials.
Directly after being released Anita did the exact opposite to what she was asked, and promised to do.
At nineteen years of age Anita Markle is gone. So young and in such emotional pain that drugging herself to her death was
the only way Anita could deal her life. There are thousands of kids out there on our Canadian Streets in the same situation
as Anita. Will they have to die too? These kids have been raised in a society filled with abuse and violence. There is almost
no place to go to avoid it's many forms.
How many more children will we loose to crack or other dangerous substances before we look at the way we are living and teaching
our children to live. When are we, the adults going to realize what abuse is, what abuse dose and begin to work to get abuse
stopped!
Please, before we loose another life, help stop ABUSE!!!
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