To the editor,
Re: 89-year-old machete attack victim continues to recover in Vancouver Island hospital, Aug. 2.
I have watched the TV and newspaper reporting of open violence against seniors in the streets on Vancouver Island lately.
One horrible example recently was the elderly man who was cut around the face and lost one eye after having been slashed with a machete. His wounds and sutures to close his wounds were quite unimaginable. One elderly lady the other day was approached and had to defend herself with her cane as a younger male – as is usual – came at her with clenched fists, then beat her up seriously and to the ground.
There were classes offered a few years ago to seniors to defend themselves with their walking canes. I think that should return and be made available again. Another idea is to have a spray dye handy. It doesn’t injure as bear spray could, but would easily identify the assailant and leave the same mark also on the victim and enable the public, and police, to identify the culprit(s). This would also be a very good deterrent.
Courts, I’m sure, would uphold their defence where weapons are mostly used now to injure and kill innocent citizens.
Otherwise, such crimes will increase with police unable to trace, or catch, fleet-footed younger assailants.
A. Miller, Nanaimo
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