Ontario man beat lesbian mom until her face ‘burst open’
A woman told an Ontario court Wednesday that a man yelling gay slurs punched her partner until her face “burst open.”
Mark Scott of Oshawa, Ont., is facing two counts of assault causing bodily harm after the couple was attacked outside of their children’s elementary school.
The 44-year-old has pleaded not guilty in the November 2008 beating.
Anji Dimitriou said Scott called her and Jane Currie “dyke bitches”.
Dimitriou, 31, said he spat on her face and punched her twice, once near her left eye and again on the left side of her head.
He also punched Currie so hard her face “burst open” and she started bleeding, Dimitriou said.
Currie, 38, wept during her testimony when she told the court of her six-year-old son witnessing the attack.
“I remember hearing (him) crying,” she said. “I’ve never heard a scream like that.”
Both women testified that Nov. 3 was not the first time they had met Scott.
They said he twice blocked the handicap parking spot Dimitriou used when picking up her children.
Last December, police said Scott would not face hate charges, despite pressure from the Oshawa community.
11/16/2008
VIDEO: Hundreds rally for lesbian moms assaulted at elementary school
More than 500 people – from Oshawa, Toronto, Sudbury, Calgary and Newfoundland – came to support the moms who were attacked outside their local elementary school.
Kids at Gordon B. Attersley Public School witnessed the lesbian couple being verbally and physically assaulted while picking up their children.
Speaking to the crowd Jane Currie said:
“There are voices of hate in all of our cities and there are voices of hate in all of our religions and those voices of hate sometimes incite violence or sanction violence. We can disagree with each other without being hateful. So we want to hear from the voices of inclusion and we invite religious leaders in particular to speak out for inclusion. Eleven days ago, my life, our lives, your lives were forever changed. Now is the time for change. No more fear. No more anger. No more hate. I don’t want our children, anybody’s children, to be scared of who they are or what they are, regardless.”
She and Dimitriou were overwhelmed by the crowd.
“I want to thank each and every one of you beautiful people that are here this evening. The people in front of me and the people behind me, you’re all fantastic an d you have no idea how much your gestures have not gone unnoticed,” said Currie.
“And the support doesn’t end in Canada, I don’t know if you guys know that this has gone worldwide. It’s not just here. It’s gone to the (United) States, Australia, Turkey, Scotland, England, Costa Rica even Madrid. And everybody knows what happened, but now it’s time to stop it from happening again to anybody. You guys showing up here just prove that we can change and we will change. We want to change all hate laws. We’re talking about everybody. We don’t care what race, what religion, what gender, it doesn’t matter, hate is hate.”
Wayne Harrison, vice-president of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) travelled from New Brunswick to bring a message that they will be working to have this crime “upgraded to a hate crime to prevent the horrific and brutal assault of Anji and Jane” from ever happening again.
WATCH:
11/10/2008
Lesbian moms attacked outside elementary school
A Toronto-area lesbian couple were the targets of an unprovoked attack and assault by a parent at an elementary school. The women were picking-up their kids Friday, after school, when the man attacked.
Local news reports, “Ms. Dimitriou, 30, and her lesbian partner Jane Currie, 37, said Friday they still can’t believe what happened. ‘He clocked me right in the face, like right in the side of my face, and I hit my truck and I couldn’t see anything, like I blacked out,’ Ms. Dimitriou said. ‘I was awake but I could hear everything but I just couldn’t see anything. Then I think he clocked me again right in the top of my head.’ Classes had just let out Monday at Gordon B. Attersley elementary school on Attersley Drive, according to the couple. Ms. Dimitriou said she was helping her son put his backpack into the car when another student’s father came toward her and began yelling. He referred to her and Ms. Currie as men, she said, as she recounted what happened. Ms. Dimitriou said the man swore at her, called her a slang word for lesbian in an aggressive and derogatory way, then ‘out of nowhere’ spit in her face and punched her.”
Dimitriou’s partner Currie was also assaulted when she came to Dimitriou’s assistance. Currie required four stitches. The attack happened in front of the couple’s children, the attacker’s children, and other kids at a school. Mark Scott faces two charges of assault.
What’s wrong with this guy? Hope he rots in prison.
Lee
This is definitely a hate crime. This sick man should receive the maximum penalty under the law. The C.A.S. should also be involved to determine whether this man poses an emotional or other risk of harm to his own children. Is he indoctrinating his children with his own sick ideas? This was not an isolated incident so it would appear that this is ingrained into his character. This sicko should be ordered by the court to undergo a psychiatric assessment for his violent disposition.
I empathize with these two ladies’ pain. The incident went beyond absurd.
i hope this horrible man goes to jail for a VERY long time
do they have hate crime laws in Canada? or will the charges be simple assault. i wish someone else would have come to the women’s defense. how can anyone see a man hit a woman and not do anything (besides maybe stop him). he deserves a black eye at the very least…
I was absolutely shocked when I read this story. It is no doubt a hate crime and should be treated as such.
R
I cannot believe that someone would do this to another person. People can be so hateful, and in front of their child. This can traumatize him for life. I am in shock, and I hope that he is put in jail for a long time for this form of blatant HOMOPHOBIA. Hate crimes are everywhere, we need to educate people, but being a person of color that has experience both Homophobia and racial discrimination, that will be hard. We all need to still speak out.
Another man and woman did come to their defence. There are hate crime laws here and you can be certain that the Canadian public will be lobbying for this hateful man to be brought to justice for his cowardice. I can not believe that someone would do this in front of their children. I certainly hope that the state intervenes and explores his capability to raise his own children.
Misogyny the age old acting out of the hatred of women. 2008 and women who love women are still a target. the man who is accused of attacking you is venal, hateful and deeply misogynist. i cannot pity him for his profound inability to deal with life around him. nor can i pity him for the miserable way in which he must have been raised. there is no pity for him. my love and profound respect go to the two women who were attacked. yes, this a hate crime. the lowest of them all. attacking women who have made a commitment to share their lives despite all adversity thrown in their path. i no longer live in toronto. no matter. i share my rage, from a distance, with everyone who despises the heinousness of the act. my love and respect go to you and your family. be careful
Im sitting here shocked! OMG! What is this world comming to?What rock did this guy crawl out from under. FIrst Im shocked this happened. Second in front of children. This guy needs to be locked up and fast. Someone needs to do a homestudy there.
This is obviously a hate crime and should be treated as such.I live in Toronto…are people going to demonstrate against this? We cannot sit by and let this stay on the 2nd page of the newspaper.
Not that two wrongs make a right but I wish he’d get a little of what he gave out.
How horrible it must have been for their (and his) children to see what he was doing.
I hope he goes to jail for a very long time too.
Whoever the couple was, even a straight couple, children don’t need to be exposed to violence. The world is violent enough.
Education is about rationally discussing our differences.
Ms Dimitriou and Ms. Currie see a lawyer and bring a civil suit for assault and battery. Make this sicko pay for his actions.
I hope his children understand what he did was wrong and inexcusable.
Looks like he deserves to pick up trash for community service in the local “gay lesbian district”. I think a year sounds good, and he should have to clean up after the pride parade for the next five years.
Why did he attack her? I’ve read that before he attacked he yelled something about her talking to his son.
Im simply curious for the whole story. What he did was disgusting; no doubt. But what set him off?
As for the last time we heard gay people acting violently… when a violent story is in the news… when do they ever discuss mention their sexual preference. It would raise a few eyebrows.
What would prompt this guy to do such a thing, hopefully the laws will take care of his actions correctly. He will hopefully become more aware of the wrong he has done and become repentant for it all.
The man should be punished for what he did. All gays and lesbians should also be treated the same and as equals. They too are human and that habits of harassment should be erased in ones attitude and behavior. From the place of incident, a lot of people especially children have seen this and the woman attacked has the right to file a case against him. Hope that justice be heard and approved. tampa family law
how disgusting is this…here we try to teach children that racism is wrong and here is a wicked man assaulting these women, who is he to tell someone to live their life?? The answer is no one… Mr. Scott didn’t Jesus say that the person who is free from sin may cast the first stone, you should freakin judge yourself before you judge other! We have every right to live a normal life like other people…Yeah Great job attacking a woman don’t you feel manly right??? Please others don’t be ignorant like this man, we live in a new age not the stone ages!
those poor people and imagine how scared those children must have been.
Why on earth would you harass him back?
You condemn violence and hatred and than go ahead and do it yourself?
Am I the only one who is curious as to what the lesbian couple said to his child? I mean he knew they were lesbians already, had already had disputes with them. Its not like he woke up one morning and decided to attack them.
What on earth set him off to attacking them in the middle of schoolyard with children?
I dont excuse his attack, I just want to know the whole story, seeing as everyone just wants to lynch him first and ask questions latter.
This guy sickens all of us, but it has nothing to do with his sexual orientation. Your remarks make you appear to be sexually discriminating, implying that heterosexual folks are “crazies”.
And gay people are the ones being denied rights when crazies like this beat a woman in front of children?????? Seriously when was the last time you heard of gay people acting out like this??? Absolutely shamefull!!!!That man should have his children taken away from him. If he acts out this kind of violence in public can you imagine what gos on behind closed doors?
WTF?
It is very sorry to listen or to get news like this. And it worst that cruelty and abomination barely gets news coverage.
People we are on the 21st Century, it is insane that a morbid man like Mr. Scott will probably only get a pat on the hand. Ms. Dimitriou and Ms. Currie have all the right in the world to be partners and to be parents to their child, if they wouldn’t love each other or their child they wouldn’t be together in the first place.
Then why? why? I ask myself, there’s millions of people around the world that hates us as humans as a community? Don’t we have rights, are we parasites? NO!!!! last I recall was voting on the Nov. 8th elections, filing my taxes before April 15th, and so on.
We need to speak up and not hide, fight for our rights and tell everyone that you might know, friends, family, coworkers.This could’ve happened to me!!!
It is time to help open the minds of mosquito brained human beings and make sure that an attrocity like this never happens again. My best wishes to this brave ladies, and my appologies to their son, that had to suffer because we haven’t been LOUD ENOUGH to erradicate HOMOPHOBIA.
To Mr. Scott, my message is short and simple; I HOPE YOU ROT IN JAIL YOU SICK BASTARD!!!, to his son I can only say: Please never be like your father.
What is the other side of the story? Why did he gob in her face then punch her lights out?
There has to be a reason, you just don’t go punch a person in the face let alone two people. What did they do to antagonize him? I’m not going to jump to any conclusion just because they are lesbo’s. Once all the facts are in then I’ll make a statement.
There’s more to the story that what has been reported.
misogyny – the acting out of the rage towards women, all women, everywhere
this is indeed a hate crime and cannot be excused any other way.
the fact that the man who stands accused of the crime is very, very stupid and, frankly, not deserving of the same oxygen that you and i share is not an excuse. venal, hate-full towards all women. as two women who were brave enough to share their commitment to each other in public, that made you a target. but your commitment should be celebrated not driven back into darkness by men like this. i am sorry that i no longer live in toronto. i would be part of the toronto rage. you did not deserve any of this. i wish i could say it will get better but i’m not sure. i hope our children will learn another way. with love and respect, leslie storozuk thunder bay, ontario
I’m not one to advocate stalking -but he deserves to be harrassed in whatever way we can determine. Let’s see -his name is Mark Scott; 43; leaves in Oshawa; he was on the news standing beside his open door with the #80 on it. Maybe some futher investigation could be done….Hmm…
I am lost for words. Send him to jail for a long time. This loser needs to meet “Bubba”!!
And in addition to the incident, an experienced trauma on children’ s part is difficult to erase. Confusion can also intrude to their minds if not given proper explanation and therapy for them to better understand why the man had done such thing to the woman or the parent. tampa family law
I can’t imagine how those poor children must have felt. While the physical scars will heal, the emotional scars will take much, much longer for that entire family. My heart goes out to them. What I also find shocking is that this took place in Canada…in all my years traveling there (ultimately getting married there) I can’t believe this would happen…whenever we have gone to Canada we have been treated so incredibly well…it’s like a breath of fresh air compared to alot of the open hostilities/comments we have faced here in the US.