Revisiting the Pickton Case with Dr. Sasha Reid & Sue Brown. Part 2.

Voices from the Shadows PART 2


This powerful dialogue between Dr. Sasha Reid (psychologist,
advocate, and creator of the Missing Murder Database)


Sue Brown (lawyer with Justice for Girls) delves into
systemic failures in addressing violence against marginalized
women and girls, particularly Indigenous communities in British
Columbia.





Centered on the Robert Pickton case, the conversation critiques
institutional apathy, police negligence, and the destruction of
critical evidence. Key themes include the intersection of
organized crime, human trafficking, and colonial legacies; the
RCMP’s systemic incompetence; and the urgent need for
transparency, accountability, and structural reform to protect
vulnerable populations.


Key Takeaways for Listeners:




Systemic Neglect of Indigenous Women &
Girls:




BC accounts for 20% of Canada’s missing/murdered
Indigenous women and girls, exacerbated by poverty, lack
of infrastructure, and colonial policies.




Failures in foster care, education, and economic
opportunities heighten vulnerability to exploitation.






Organized Crime & Trafficking:




Drug and human trafficking networks are deeply
intertwined in BC, targeting marginalized communities.




Predators exploit geographic isolation (e.g., Highway of
Tears) and poverty to victimize Indigenous girls.






RCMP Incompetence & Secrecy:




Police dismiss reports of violence, especially against
Indigenous women, with responses ranging from
indifference to outright hostility.




Officers lack training on modern issues like social media
exploitation and trafficking.




Systemic secrecy obstructs access to case files,
undermining public accountability.






Destruction of Pickton Case Evidence:




Over 185,000 exhibits tied to Pickton’s crimes have been
destroyed since 2021, erasing potential leads for
unsolved cases.




Families of victims were not consulted, violating their
right to justice and closure.






Dr. Reid’s Missing Murder Database (MMD):




A grassroots, nationally representative database tracks
over 11,800 unsolved cases, exposing clusters of violence
ignored by authorities.




Highlights Canada’s lack of a national missing/murdered
persons database.






Calls for Systemic Change:




Dismantle colonial institutions: Reform
or replace the RCMP, rooted in racism and misogyny.




Fund critical infrastructure: Address
poverty, housing insecurity, and rural isolation.




Independent oversight: Create non-police
bodies to investigate police misconduct and ensure
transparency.




Preserve evidence: Halt destruction of
cold case materials and prioritize victim families’
rights.






Vancouver’s “Perfect Storm” for Violence:




Geographic factors (remote areas, dense forests) and
economic disparities (Downtown Eastside poverty, resource
extraction “boom towns”) create ideal conditions for
predators.




Historical patterns of serial killers targeting
vulnerable populations remain unaddressed.






Grassroots Advocacy & Hope:




Organizations like Justice for Girls and
the Midnight Order fight for accountability,
support families, and push for international human rights
scrutiny.




Sue Brown emphasizes: “Transparency is a pillar of
democracy—we can’t assess justice if we’re kept in the
dark.”