Breaking the Silence: Aboriginal women and the right to peace, security and freedom from violence November 2014

Overview of Presentation Native Women’s Association of Canada Missing and Murdered Aboriginal women in Canada Experiences of Aboriginal women and girls “Over-policed and under-protected” Intersections of race, sex, and class Trafficking of Aboriginal Women and Girls Evidence to Action: Using knowledge to inform change

Native Women’s Association of Canada National voice of Aboriginal women in Canada Incorporated in 1974 Our membership consists of a network of 12 Provincial/Territorial Associations from across Canada

Why Are Aboriginal Women at Risk?

Violence and Victimization Violence can take on many forms: physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, spiritual, cultural, and financial. It often results in vulnerability and self-harm (depression, cycle of violence, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide).

Experiences of Violence Aboriginal women are 8 times more likely to be killed than non-Aboriginal women. Rates of spousal assault are more than 3 times higher than non-Aboriginal women. (Spouse is not necessarily Aboriginal). More severe and potentially life-threatening forms of spousal violence (54% versus 37% of non-Aboriginal women).

The UNTOLD Image in Canada “It is Aboriginal girls and women who are specifically targeted in this country to be trafficked, in such huge numbers that it does not compare to other populations.” “The average age of girls being trafficked are between the ages of 7 – 12 years old.” Jo-Ann Daniels, interim Executive Director for the Métis Settlements General Council in Edmonton

Trafficking of Aboriginal Women & Girls “Studies on human trafficking in Canada conclude that the majority of people trafficked within Canada are Aboriginal women and children victims of sex trafficking” (Barrett, 2010, p. iii) Real consent requires: “Physical safety, equal power with customers, and real alternatives” (Farley, et al., 2003, p. 65) Most women being prostituted and trafficked are dealing with life histories of repeated traumas and lack the education and job skills needed for alternative incomes

Experiences of Trafficked and Prostituted Aboriginal women 79% had been abused as children (on average by 4 perpetrators). Over two thirds of the women had family who had attended boarding schools. 92% had been raped. 84% had been physically assaulted. 72% experienced traumatic brain injuries in prostitution. 98% were either currently or previously homeless. 52% at the time of the interview had PTSD; 71% had symptoms of dissociation. 80% had used outpatient substance abuse services; 77% had used homeless shelters; 65% had used domestic violence services; and 33% had used sexual assault services. 92% wanted to escape prostitution. (Farley et al, 2011, p. 3)

Recommendations from NWAC’s Research “We want to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We want change.” – Experiential Survivor Women who have been prostituted and trafficked require a comprehensive response including: Safe housing (away from gang activity/drug selling); substance abuse treatment; funding for women-only services; funding for education & employment training; funding for long-term counselling, etc. (NWAC report, 2014)

Preventative Measures Against Trafficking NWAC has found that women and girls who experienced sexual exploitation later identify that they had little exposure to healthy relationships and options for actions if they faced sexual aggression. Girls AND boys need education on healthy relationships/healthy touching and respectful treatment. Teachers/school administrators need training to identify signs of sexual exploitation and need to be provided with resources for intervention. Aboriginal girls and women need support for their own empowerment and to inspire them with hope for the future: including programs and services that allow them to stay in school and foster their self-esteem, worth, and confidence.

Community-Based Solutions “We need programs to reduce school dropout rates and develop economic opportunities in Aboriginal communities; raise public awareness of human trafficking for Aboriginal leaders, government officials, and the public; and support and strengthen Aboriginal family and community networks, such as survivor-led shelters, transition programs and specialized services for Aboriginal women and children vulnerable to trafficking.” (Barrett, 2010, p. iii)

NWAC has continued to Fill a Knowledge Gap by: Looking beyond academic literature focused on domestic violence and identifying violence rooted in the systemic, gendered racism that Aboriginal women face. Gathering comprehensive evidence to support reports from families and communities. Exposing how the police and justice systems have responded to women? Families? Identifying some solutions to be implemented.

Impacts of colonization Indian Act, 1876 Residential Schools The “60’s Scoop” Ongoing child apprehension High rates of incarceration

Ongoing Impacts of Inter-generational Trauma Impact of the residential school experience: forced loss of culture, language and traditional values, sexual abuse, difficulty bonding with others and in forming relationships, lack of parenting and life skills, loss of self-respect/respect for others, use of drugs and alcohol to cope with painful memories; and More than 40% of Aboriginal women in prison have been to Indian Residential Schools; more than that have been placed in care or have parents who went to Indian Residential Schools.

Sisters In Spirit In 2005 NWAC began to raise awareness of violence against Aboriginal women. But the voices of families and communities needed were being ignored, and the justice system was failing our people. From 2005-2010 NWAC began to document all the known cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada. We discovered 582 beautiful women who’ve been lost. In 2014, the RCMP released their report, documenting 1,181 Aboriginal women had gone missing or been murdered. There are likely more but their ethnicity was not known or recorded when they went missing or were murdered.

Police-recorded incidents of Aboriginal female homicides and unresolved missing Aboriginal females in this review total 1,181 - 164 missing and 1,017 homicide victims. There are 225 unsolved cases of either missing or murdered Aboriginal females: 105 missing for more than 30 days as of November 4, 2013, whose cause of disappearance was categorized at the time as “unknown” or “foul play suspected” and 120 unsolved homicides between 1980 and 2012. We must remember that a beautiful woman is represented by every number shared in this presentation, that each statistic tells a story.

NWAC’s Research: Aboriginal Women and Girls More Likely to be Killed by a Stranger or Acquaintance Relationship of Suspects to Homicide Victims in SIS Database, 2010 Relationship No. %   Partner 45 17.2% Ex-partner 14 5.4% Family, including all types of family relationships 15 5.7% 'John' or other criminal relationship 4 1.5% Acquaintance Stranger 43 16.5% Unknown relationship 95 36.4% Total 261 100.0% Source: Calculations by NWAC using data from the SIS database, 2010.

“Over-Policed and Under -Protected” Aboriginal Peoples in the justice system are classified as higher risk and higher need. One out of three (33.1%) new female offenders in the federal corrections system are Aboriginal. Disproportionate number of missing and murdered women in Canada are Aboriginal.

Evidence to Action - What Have We Learned? Need to continue to improve the socio-economic outcomes for Aboriginal women and families. Policy MUST be informed by evidence and by those that are impacted by it. We can’t do it alone – we need all levels of government, all justice officials, allies, partners, etc. need to work together Leadership at all levels of Government needs to speak out. Men must take a stand and be part of the solution. Urgent need for a National Public Inquiry and implementation of a comprehensive Plan of Action to address the root causes, prevent violence, and quickly investigate and solve cases.

Why support a National Public Inquiry? A National Public Inquiry would enable the federal government—and, if it was constituted as a joint inquiry, then also the provincial and territorial governments—to conduct a comprehensive national investigation into violence against Aboriginal women and girls in Canada. A National Public Inquiry would support a comprehensive investigation that considers the overlapping responsibilities of all levels of government. It is hoped that this would provide an independent, unbiased and public review that addresses the crisis of confidence felt in the Aboriginal communities in relation to government responses to violence against Aboriginal women and girls. It could increase public awareness of this human rights crisis in terms of its lack of safety and protection of Aboriginal women in Canada and provide assurance to Aboriginal Peoples that all levels of government recognize the severity of the issue and are committed to ending these cycles of violence.

Other Key Findings Canadians have a limited understanding of Aboriginal Peoples, recent history and the impacts, cultures and approaches to collaboration. Lack of equal funding to programs and services for Aboriginal Peoples with other Canadians. Inadequate response to the urban realities and demographics of Aboriginal Peoples, and the use of piecemeal approaches. Interventions and alternatives for Aboriginal women are limited. When we invest in Aboriginal women in Canada through skills and development, employment and education, and opportunities to participate in the economy, we impact their families and communities. Aboriginal women contribute 90% of their income back to their families and communities.

Key Recommendations Develop a comprehensive, national strategy with short, medium and long-term solutions that have been consistently identified over many years by Aboriginal women and their communities. Negotiate permanent, realistic and at-parity funding levels for existing and new programs and services that impact on Aboriginal Peoples. Improve curricula in all schools to include in-depth training about Aboriginal Peoples, including the particular situation of Aboriginal women to help reduce ignorance and racism. Aboriginal organizations and communities to work with relevant federal departments and agencies and community stakeholders, to develop a Federal-wide policy to effectively monitor the implementation of best practices, measure successes, and progress to date. NWAC is working to improve the lives of Aboriginal women and families by providing them with business and networking opportunities through Aboriginal Women and Business and Entrepreneurship and by providing them with training, networking, skill-building and financial literacy. By supporting similar programs, or this program, you can help contribute to eradicate poverty.

Change begins with one step…

Merci Chi-Miigwetch Nia:wen Ko wa Thank you Native Women’s Association of Canada reception@nwac.ca 613-722-3033