The Healing Journey: Family Violence Prevention in Aboriginal Communities Les sentiers de la guérison Nepisimkewey Pemkenikn (Mi'kmaq) Nuhsuhkmone Kikehewik Awt (Maliseet)

The Healing Journey: Family Violence Prevention in Aboriginal Communities Les sentiers de la guérison Nepisimkewey Pemkenikn (Mi'kmaq) Nuhsuhkmone Kikehewik Awt (Maliseet)

The Healing Journey Family Violence Prevention in Aboriginal Communities A joint initiative of: Gignoo Transition House Inc. and Public Legal Education and Information Service of NB

The Healing Journey A Word About the Project Partners Gignoo Transition House Inc. is the only Aboriginal women’s shelter in New Brunswick. Gignoo was founded in in 1991 by the New Brunswick Native Indian Women’s Council, and opened off-reserve in Fredericton in Gignoo means “Our House” in both the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet languages. Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) is a non-profit charitable organization established in 1989 to develop bilingual law education and information resources for the public.

The Healing Journey Working Group Partners NB Aboriginal Women’s Council NB Aboriginal Peoples’ Council Health & Wellness, Woodstock First Nation Child & Family Services, Woodstock First Nation NB Coalition of Transition Houses NB Advisory Council on the Status of Women Women’s Issues Branch, Executive Council Office RCMP J Division:Community Policing & Aboriginal Policing Codiac RCMP - Victim Services Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Fredericton Native Friendship Centre Union of New Brunswick Indians NB Department of Family and Community Services NB Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat

The Healing Journey Funders Justice Canada Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Canadian Heritage Mounted Police Foundation Status of Women Canada NB Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat New Brunswick Department of Justice and Consumer Affairs Executive Council, Women’s Issues Branch New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women New Brunswick Department of Intergovernmental Affairs

The Healing Journey Origin of the Project ‘Creating Healthy Personal Relationships: An Information Booklet for Aboriginal Women’ (funded by Justice Canada) – published in 2005 – a joint project of Gignoo and PLEIS. Overwhelmingly positive response to this booklet and demand for culturally-sensitive and relevant family violence prevention materials for Aboriginal communities in N.B. Decision was made to apply for funding and strike a working group to help develop these materials – and more.

The Healing Journey Need for the Project Statistics Canada reports that the rates of family violence among First Nations women and men are higher than non- aboriginal couples. Aboriginal women years are 5 times more likely to die of violence. National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence (“NACAFV”) reports that Aboriginal children witness violence more often than non-Aboriginal children. First Nation and Inuit women in particular experience higher rates of family violence than non-Aboriginal women. In 2004, research showed that Aboriginal women were three and half times more likely to suffer some form of spousal violence than non-Aboriginal women. (Statistics Canada, Juristat, Catalogue No XIE, Vol. 26, no. 3)

The Healing Journey Need for the Project – cont’d Of the Aboriginal women who have experienced family violence, 87% were victims of physical abuse and 57% were sexually assaulted. (Health Canada) 21% of Aboriginal people reported that a current or ex-spouse had assaulted them in the past five years, compared to 6% of the non-Aboriginal population (Statistics Canada, Juristat, Catalogue No XIE, Vol. 26, no. 3) Almost 1/2 of Aboriginal victims of spousal violence experienced potentially life-threatening violence at the hands of a current or ex-partner compared with 31% of non- Aboriginal victims of spousal violence. (National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence)

The Healing Journey Community Feedback Gignoo and PLEIS met with our Working Group to brainstorm content. Commissioned a “needs assessment” by Han Martin Associates to find out what NB Aboriginal communities would like to see in a family violence prevention toolkit.

The Healing Journey We were told …. Take A Holistic Approach to Violence Prevention When someone is being abused, it harms the victim, their family, and the entire community. Everyone feels the negative consequences of abuse. Everyone should have the opportunity to become part of the solution.

The Healing Journey Goals of the Project Develop a “Toolkit” with a range of culturally sensitive information for addressing violence prevention in Aboriginal communities Create website to share information and to act as a forum for dialogue and sharing promising practices Host a conference to launch the kit and website and foster violence prevention “champions” Offer training and information sessions throughout New Brunswick First Nations Communities.

The Healing Journey Progress to Date Toolkit completed and being distributed Website – English site available and French under construction  Electronic versions of materials in the toolkit  Links and other publications for family violence prevention for Aboriginal communities - both on- and off-reserve  Assists individuals and service providers to create responses to family violence both in terms of crisis intervention, public education and prevention  Provides a forum for individuals and communities to share their family violence prevention experiences, or to share their own personal journeys to a violence free life.

The Healing Journey Progress to Date Conference – October 4-6, 2006, Fredericton Over 160 Aboriginal women and men, youth, elders, Aboriginal & non-Aboriginal service providers attended the conference Workshops on dating violence and self-esteem building with Inuk singer/songwriter Susan Aglukark. Students from Eel Ground First Nation performed award winning play on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Students from local high schools performed a dating violence skit called “An Aboriginal Youth’s Cry for Help”.

The Healing Journey Where We Are Today Evaluation of the Healing Journey Process completed Promoting the National Tool Kit across Canada as we redesigned the NB Tool Kit to a National perspective Beginning process of community training and animation sessions in NB –Using the Healing Journey materials –Stimulate local actions to address relationship violence in Aboriginal communities

The Healing Journey Objectives of Today’s Session Gain practical knowledge of how to use the Healing Journey Tool Kit in your community Provide an opportunity to discuss strategies with Gignoo staff, other service providers and champions on how to address relationship violence in culturally appropriate ways within Aboriginal communities and families Have a chance to network with service providers working in this field as well as others

The Healing Journey Contents of Toolkit Toolkit includes: –User’s Guide –Fact Sheets –Family Violence Resources and Networks –Safety Plans for Aboriginal Women and Children –‘Starting Over: What You Should Know About Family Law Matters’ booklet –Skit: ‘An Aboriginal Youth’s Cry for Help’ –Poster, bookmark, decals, postcard and brochures –Creating a Family Violence Prevention Community Action Plan (added later)

The Healing Journey For further information about the project, please contact Gignoo Transition House or PLEIS-NB Gignoo: (506) PLEIS-NB:(506)