Assailant attacked custodial worker, walks from halfway house
“During a week when custodial workers in Edmonton Public Schools have given out white ribbons to all schools in a campaign to educate staff and students about violence against women that was precipitated by an assault against one of our members, we are shocked and appalled that her assailant has escaped from a half-way house in Edmonton,” said Doug Luellman, president of CUPE Local 474 that represents over 600 custodial workers in Edmonton Public Schools.
“As a result of this vicious attack over 14 years ago, CUPE Local 474 has campaigned against working alone and violence against women in the workplace using the White Ribbon Campaign. Dana Fash, once described by a veteran city policeman as one of the two "worst sexual predators" he'd ever dealt with; assaulted our custodial member, ruined her life and her family’s life and the lives and family of other women that he has assaulted. On behalf of our members, we believe that Dana Fash, a sexual predator, should have been designated a dangerous offender, where he would have remained in prison indefinitely,” said Luellman.
Allowing him to be in half-way house after the completion of his sentence without designating him a “dangerous offender” was a serious lack of good judgment and slap in the face against women for their safety in the City of Edmonton. Our White Ribbon campaign began November 25 (the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women) and ends December 6, Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and is in commemoration of the attack against women at École Polytechnique in Montreal.
“Violence against women who work alone is a serious health and safety issue and needs to be addressed,” said Luellman.
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