Aboriginal women paying the price for leniency with violent aboriginal offenders

[Locutus]

via
Neil Edmondson ‏@NeilJEdmondson

"Aboriginal women may well be paying the price for leniency with violent aboriginal offenders"

Imagine having a baby, knowing that the infant is seven times more likely to be the victim of a violent murder than the average Canadian newborn. That’s been the tragic reality of aboriginal girls in our country, as painted by Statistics Canada over the years.

Last week, the RCMP revealed that the situation is far worse than feared – by the force’s count, the number of police-reported missing and murdered aboriginal women is double what was previously thought. This comprehensive RCMP study surveyed police forces across Canada. It found that between 1980 and 2012, there were 1,181 missing and murdered aboriginal females (164 are missing, 1,017 were homicide victims); 225 of these cases remain unsolved.

To put these figures in context, while aboriginal women represent just 4.3 per cent of the female population in Canada, they account for 11.3 per cent of the total number of missing women. Even more alarming, the RCMP found that 16 per cent of all homicides in Canada are perpetrated against aboriginal females – a “significant overrepresentation.” While total homicide rates have been declining in recent decades, the trend for aboriginal women is not so good.


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For aboriginal women, an inquiry is the quickest route to the slowest response - The Globe and Mail

 

[Sal]

guess I would do what an old neighbour of mine did then, take the baby and leave...

they seemed to get along just fine together all by themselves

 

[MHz]

In the 7x stats why not base it on the rate based on being in a violent relationship and if they followed a similar pattern. Booze and Indians are not something that mixes well with Indians even less than it does with the Irish/Scots/Germans when taken in large quantities. Factors like that have to be part of the equation.

 

[smallandmighty]

In the 7x stats why not base it on the rate based on being in a violent relationship and if they followed a similar pattern. Booze and Indians are not something that mixes well with Indians even less than it does with the Irish/Scots/Germans when taken in large quantities. Factors like that have to be part of the equation.

I am Irish, Scottish, and German. I think your stereotyping is a bit off..lol!
I have to say women that find themselves in bad relationships do not seek help, they make bad choices, then they, and everyone else finds something or someone else to blame, when the blame is within.

 

[BornRuff]

This is kind of what you would expect given the circumstances. Addiction and mental health issues, being victims of abuse themselves, all correlate with more violent behavior.

You can't excuse personal responsibility, but on the macro level, we really need to start focusing on the things that we can actually improve. Too many people like to just blame stuff like this on race and ethnicity, which takes focus away from the real issues that we can address.

 

[JLM]

The one fallacy in all this is that being Aboriginal is not the only common denominator. There are women of other ethnic backgrounds who end up in the same straits and it's because they repeat the same procedures that don't work. If a procedure doesn't work the first time there is a good chance it won't and if it doesn't work the second time it's almost a certainty it won't work.

 

[Twila]

Fear of retaliation is among the top factors blocking access to human rights justice for many Aboriginal women, the Canadian Human Rights Commission learned over the course of four roundtable discussions held across the country in 2013.

One factor that was consistently raised is that many Aboriginal women are often discouraged by the prospect of having to challenge the police, or powerful members of their communities on whom they depend for their livelihoods.

Aboriginal | Canadian Human Rights Commission

 

[Sal]

Fear of retaliation is among the top factors blocking access to human rights justice for many Aboriginal women, the Canadian Human Rights Commission learned over the course of four roundtable discussions held across the country in 2013.

One factor that was consistently raised is that many Aboriginal women are often discouraged by the prospect of having to challenge the police, or powerful members of their communities on whom they depend for their livelihoods.

Aboriginal | Canadian Human Rights Commission

in this case I don't believe it is the police...it is powerful members of their community who have the money... until they clean up the reservation corruption, the women will continue in the same plight... money is the problem...who has it, how they get it and distribution...the money needs to dry up, this system is not working

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

I'm not sure what the aboriginal experience is in Canada, but I'll tell you what. Down here aborigines don't go to the police because we learned a long time ago that no good comes from it.

 

[Corduroy]

This story wouldn't have shown up on the Con-radar if it didn't let them pretend we're too soft on aboriginals in Canada. They don't actually care about aboriginal women.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

This story wouldn't have shown up on the Con-radar if it didn't let them pretend we're too soft on aboriginals in Canada. They don't actually care about aboriginal women.

Unless they're pregnant and considering abortion.

 

[Sal]

I'm not sure what the aboriginal experience is in Canada, but I'll tell you what. Down here aborigines don't go to the police because we learned a long time ago that no good comes from it.

yeah I don't think they are the problem...the problem is on the reservations...but I don't know how to even begin to fix that

the women there are isolated, not exposed to a lot of good mentors, trapped in bad situations ... for women to have the courage and strength to leave they need support, encouragement, a beacon...

I can't even imagine how that is going to happen if they are living in a cesspool

 

[Corduroy]

Unless they're pregnant and considering abortion.

Even that wouldn't be likely.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Even that wouldn't be likely.

Well, not to say the Christian soldiers actually CARE about them even then. But at least then they think about 'em, leastways long enough to bellow 'bout the sanctity of life. Until it's born, that is, after which the little brat can starve for all they care.

 

[Corduroy]

Well, not to say the Christian soldiers actually CARE about them even then. But at least then they think about 'em, leastways long enough to bellow 'bout the sanctity of life. Until it's born, that is, after which the little brat can starve for all they care.

I don't believe conservatives actually care about aboriginal abortions. The only thing they care about is hating them passionately.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

yeah I don't think they are the problem...the problem is on the reservations...but I don't know how to even begin to fix that

Could be. Like I said, I don't really know how it is in Canada. Generally y'all have a reputation for treating your Indians better'n we do. Which ain't saying much.

the women there are isolated, not exposed to a lot of good mentors, trapped in bad situations ... for women to have the courage and strength to leave they need support, encouragement, a beacon...

Lot of that here too.

I can't even imagine how that is going to happen if they are living in a cesspool

I work on that. Probably work on it the rest of my life, coz I don't see it going away.

I don't believe conservatives actually care about aboriginal abortions. The only thing they care about is hating them passionately.

Makes it kinda tough for me, being an aborigine and a conservative.

 

[Corduroy]

Makes it kinda tough for me, being an aborigine and a conservative.

It must! You poor thing!

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

It must! You poor thing!

Oh, well, self-hatred ain't exactly new for us.

 

[Sal]

Could be. Like I said, I don't really know how it is in Canada. Generally y'all have a reputation for treating your Indians better'n we do. Which ain't saying much.


Lot of that here too.


I work on that. Probably work on it the rest of my life, coz I don't see it going away.


Makes it kinda tough for me, being an aborigine and a conservative.

Aborigine, male, highly educated and a conservative. Pretty strange combo to do social work...lol BUT a really good example of what one can choose to do for themselves. A good beacon and mentor. No?

I don't see it going away unless they leave the reserve, they leave the reserve they end up middle class or slightly less than in many cases, they don't always choose super good men still but they do way better because they develop networks.

it seems to me, that women that see their mother's victimized have a very difficult time breaking that pattern and then on a reserve there's no where to go for help, he is going to be right in her face

the women have to start leaving, if they do, there will be concern and perhaps more of an incentive to attempt to fix problems

 

[Twila]

I'm not sure what the aboriginal experience is in Canada, but I'll tell you what. Down here aborigines don't go to the police because we learned a long time ago that no good comes from it.

It's the same here.