Jessica Berget Editor-in-Chief Ithough our feature this week talks bout Mother’s Day and motherhood, it’s important to recognize that not everybody can or will celebrate this day. Whether someone has had abusive parents, never knew their mothers, or they have since passed, it’s important to think about how other people interpret this day and why they might not choose to celebrate it. Namely, mothers who may have been abusive to their children, or willfully absent from their lives. Room 1020 - 700 Royal Ave. Douglas College New Westminster, BC, V3L 5B2 604-525-3542 Jessica Berget Editor-in-Chief M editor@theotherpress.ca Position Open News Editor © news@theotherpress.ca Morgan Hannah rs Life & Style Editor M lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Position Open Entertainment Editor M4 humour@theotherpress.ca Christine Weenk Layout Manager M layout@theotherpress.ca = _ Lauren Kelly & Graphics Manager © graphics@theotherpress.ca Data from a 2001 US Department of Health and Human Services “Child Maltreatment” report says that biological mothers are more likely to be abusers to their children rather than fathers. In fact, women made up nearly 60 percent of the abusers, while men made up almost 41 percent. For almost every abuser, neglect was the most common form of maltreatment. A 2014 study released by Statistics Canada also shows a changing trend in physical abusers. Fathers in 1940 to 1959 were the abusers to children twice (40 percent) as often as mothers (20 percent); @ theotherpress.ca © editor@theotherpress.ca ¥ © /theotherpress f/douglasotherpress Janis McMath Assistant Editor M assistant@theotherpress.ca Sonam Kaloti Arts Editor Marts@theotherpress.ca >) Mp Matthew Fraser Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca Caroline Ho Web Editor © webeditor@theotherpress.ca Nhi Jenny' Vo Production Assistant Jacey Gibb Distribution Manager bd od D> To those who don't celebrate Mother's Day in 1980 to 1999, fathers and mothers nearly became equal in perpetrating physical harm to children, 34 percent and 28 percent respectively. This statistic is very controversial for numerous reasons. Many people (myself included) assume that abuse would be more common with fathers, so seeing reports that argue otherwise is surprising. It is a somber finding and gives reason as to why some people may not wish to celebrate a day revolving moms and motherhood. I think it is a relevant fact to bring up with Mother’s Day close by because many still hold the belief that women can do no Brittney MacDonald Business Manager Athena Little Udeshi Seneviratne Illustrators Atiba Nelson Staff Reporter Cover layout by Lauren Kelly and Janis McMath Feature layout by Janis McMath and Christine Weenk Craig Allan Tania Arora EG Manilag Staff Writers Billy Bui Staff Photographer Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist David Douglas Timothy Easling Jonathan Pabico James Wetmore Contributors Still from 'Mad Men’ wrong, or are mainly victims of abuse, not the offenders. It is an uncomfortable to consider but gives important insight into other people's experience of Mother’s Day. It is important to address positive stereotype because they can do a lot of harm as well. Limes, Jessica Berget Jessica Berget The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We are a registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus. The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tuition fees every semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a member of the Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student newspapers that includes papers from all across Canada. The Other Press reserves the right to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners.