antoine-roquentin:

i got to reading about packwood because i’d been reading about the current speaker of the canadian house of commons (and justin trudeau’s good friend), geoff regan, and his father, gerald regan, former premier of nova scotia, minister of status of women, and a rather prolific serial rapist. when regan was found innocent on charges of assaulting an 18 year old and a 14 year old thanks to the work of defense lawyer edward greenspan (MPP Jagmeet Singh reflected on Greenspan’s career in fighting for “societies marginalized” as being an inspiration), a publication ban was lifted on other allegations against him, which ended up totaling over 40 women. new allegations have come out virtually every time he ends up in the news doing anything (and given he’s on the board of corporations and has a hand in liberal party politics, that’s often). journalist stephen kimber, who wrote a book on the guy, says he got communications from another dozen women after regan died 5 months ago.

apparently regan would drive his car around in the 1950s and look for young, small women that he could overpower and offer them rides home. given the sheer number of accusations, he probably did this hundreds of times. it’s yet another reflection of how the combination of mass car ownership among men and the construction of the interstate highway system resulted in the explosive rise in serial killings between the 50s and the 80s. adult men had cars while young women didn’t, and cities were increasingly built so only car owners could get around. even today, secluded highways tend to be killing fields for women too poor to own vehicles, especially when oil and gas fields, mines, or logging camps are nearby.