Meghan Tremaine
The start of December marks the end of Indigenous Education Month. During this period, Canadian school systems, ranging from the elementary level to post-secondary, aim to educate students about Indigenous culture. To be entirely honest, I only became aware of this initiative a week ago when Queen’s posted an article about Indigenous languages on their Facebook page. I am a staunch advocate for learning more about our Indigenous communities and becoming aware of the various issues they face in our country. So, in light of this educational initiative, I decided to look more into a very serious matter: sexual assault amongst Indigenous people.
Did you know that Indigenous women are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted than non-Indigenous women? This alarming statistic only increases the farther north we travel in Canada. Indigenous women also make up roughly 50% of human trafficking victims. These women were often sexually abused as children, making them easy targets for traffickers. A study of gender-diverse and two-spirit Indigenous people living in Ontario also found that 73% had experienced violence due to transphobia, and 43% had experienced physical and/or sexual violence. Statistics also demonstrate that Indigenous women are twelve times more likely to be murdered than non-Indigenous Canadians. To make these already terrifying statistics more alarming, Indigenous people make up less than 10% of Canada’s population, with Indigenous women making up 4%. So, why are Indigenous women extremely overrepresented as victims of these violent crimes when they only make up a small fraction of our country?
In 2015 the government launched an investigation to answer these questions. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was formed to look into and report on systemic causes of violence against Indigenous women, including sexual violence. The National Inquiry gathered information through community hearings, collaborating with Elders, examining past and present research, as well as through forensic analysis of police records. This past summer, on 3 June 2019, the final report was released, finding that the violence Indigenous women experience is the result of centuries of colonization. The sexual abuse that many past Indigenous peoples faced, such as in Residential Schools, created conditions which provoke violence instead of preventing it. The colonial method of dehumanizing Indigenous peoples has also greatly impacted the way society views the bodies of Indigenous women and children. This perception has allowed for physical and sexual violence to become an accepted practice. The National Inquiry concluded with 231 calls for justice, meant to urge governments, institutions and Canadians to address issues which continue the pattern of systemic violence. Some of these recommendations include:
o Establishing a National Indigenous and Human Rights Ombudsperson and a National Indigenous and Human Rights Tribunal
o Developing and implementing a National Action Plan to ensure equitable access to employment, housing, education, safety, and health care
o Providing long-term funding for education programs and awareness campaigns related to violence prevention and combating lateral violence
Since the report was released so recently, it is hard to say whether the government will follow through with these recommendations or not. However, at the release of the National Inquiry, Prime Minister Trudeau stated, “To the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls of Canada, to their families, and to survivors – we have failed you. But we will fail you no longer.” Only time will tell whether the government will keep their promise, but I truly hope that these significant issues are addressed, and action takes place.
Although Indigenous Education Month has ended, it is important to be aware of issues, such as the one discussed in this article, throughout the entire year. Education and awareness are key factors in fighting sexual violence, both in the Indigenous community and throughout all of Canada. If you wish to look more into this topic, I encourage you to take a look at the National Inquiry or reach out to various resources available on campus.
Sources
“Final Report, Volume 1a.” National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children, 3 June 2019. Retrieved from
Roudometkina, Arina & Kim Wakeford. “Trafficking of Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada: Submission to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.” Native Women’s Association of Canada, 15 June 2018. Retrieved from https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/421/JUST/Brief/BR10002955/br-external/NativeWomensAssociationOfCanada-e.pdf.
Tasker, John. “Inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women issues final report with sweeping calls for change.” CBC News, 3 June 2019. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mmiwg-inquiry-deliver-final-report-justice-reforms-1.5158223.
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