A woman who joined a controversial Facebook group whose members share stories about throwing objects at Winnipeg prostitutes, says the group is a reflection of people's dissatisfaction with the city.
More than 50 people had joined the group, called "For those people who have thrown something at those lovely girls on Higgins," by Wednesday.
Members of a Facebook group brag about throwing items such as pennies and beverage containers at sex-trade workers in Winnipeg.
(CBC)
"I could never, would never have imagined it would be blown out of proportion as to such an extent as it is," Nicole, one of the group's members, told CBC News on Thursday.
The 19-year-old Nicole, who spoke to CBC on the condition that her last name not be used, admitted to throwing muffins at prostitutes on Higgins Avenue as a "Gate Night" prank about six years ago.
Nicole said the group is "an expression of anger" towards "disgusting" conditions in the city generally, and in the area of Higgins Avenue specifically.
"That street just has such a high populace of that. It's so concentrated there … it's so normalized there that you drive down there and they're everywhere. And it's disgusting to see. And I understand, like, child prostitution's terrible, but our city is just overrun," she said.
"It's just going downhill so fast. I won't even walk down Main Street by myself because I don't want to get robbed, or I don't want to get shanked … like, why should we have to live in something like this?"
Another member of the group posted a message saying he'd thrown "Tim bits" at sex-trade workers, saying "you can be pretty accurate with them."
Yet another bragged about throwing more than a dozen Slurpees in one night at the same woman. "Good times," he commented.
'Tip of an iceberg of hatred'
Gloria Enns, an outreach worker who counsels sex-trade workers at Sage House in Winnipeg, said the ugly pranks being discussed online are real.
"They are not just talking about it and internet e-mailing about it, but they're actually doing it. We've had women who were assaulted with thrown bricks in their face. One had a full bottle of beer thrown in her face," she said.
"I know that those people on the site represent a tip of an iceberg of hatred out there, and of people who are willing to be violent against women."
Winnipeg police said they are looking into the site's content and its members. Throwing an object at someone could be considered assault, they said, and charges could be laid.
Counter-group launched
Facebook administrators said anything abusive, threatening, or hateful is not permitted on the site. CBC News called Facebook to see if the group will be shut down, but calls were not immediately returned.
In the meantime, more than 300 people have joined another Facebook group calling for the shutdown of the "For those people who have thrown something at those lovely girls on Higgins" group.
"I started thinking about what Mahatma Gandhi says, that the test of a civilization is the way, you know, that we treat our most vulnerable members," said Clayton Wilson, who established the counter group.
"In Canada, we like to think of ourselves as a very liberal society, very tolerant, you know, we have multiculturalism, so-called, however when you look at something like this — on Facebook, which is a public forum — and people that really think that it equates the norm or something, that it's perfectly acceptable, then it kind of makes you ask some questions about Canadian society."
Nicole expressed disdain for the people trying to have the original group shut down.
"I just find it interesting how free speech is only allowed so long as it conforms to the prevailing political doctrine, and you don't say something that is contrary to that," she said. "Wow. I'm just still in shock."
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