Richmond Review, March 24, 1993 SINGING OUT FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN by Philip Raphael
	Every song tells a story. And this story inspired musician Katie MacColl to help women in abusive relationships find shelter. Back Off is one of two songs recorded by local bands as a fundraiser for the Sanctuary Foundation, a non-profit group committed to providing second stage transitional housing for battered women and their children. "I was in the studio recording the song “Back Off” and when you’re doing that there is a lot of repetition, so you end up hearing the lyrics over and over,” MacColl said. "And it was then that I got the idea that I could do something more with this song and possibly use it as a fundraiser for a women’s group because of the lyrics and what they said. "So I just went through the Yellow Pages looking for women’s groups and the first one I contacted turned me down saying that producing this kind of thing would cost too much.” But that did not deter MacColl who heard about the Sanctuary Foundation through mutual friends in another band. A deal was then struck to produce a cassette tape of two songs including “Back Off” and “Light Burning Low,” which describes the thoughts of a man who has seen his father abuse his mother since his childhood. Thanks to the sponsorship of many companies, including Richmond-based Western Imperial Magnetics Ltd., which produced the cassettes, the songs were released and now go on sale at information displays that Sanctuary sets up at various shopping malls around the Lower Mainland. Cost of the tape is $5 and will be available at Richmond Centre April 2 to 4. All of the proceeds go towards the establishment of a second stage transitional house. Currently there is only space for six women in the entire province who require a second stage transitional home, one that provides shelter for an extended period of time while they reorganize their lives. According to MacColl, who also volunteers her time to the foundation, many women who end up in a normal transition home are not given enough time to sort out their new life and end up going back to their abusive partner. "You know, the guy comes back and promises he will change and the woman who has been given about two weeks to find affordable housing, a new school for her kids and possibly a new job ends up going back. And the abuse begins again.” MacColl said fewer women return to the violent home situation if they are given a safe place to live for a longer period of time. And second stage transition housing provides that.
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