Scope of the Problem

Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA People

Alberta is home to several First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people, and is held to account by numbered treaties, the largest territories of which are Treaty 6, 7, and 8. Alberta is also home to Métis Nations in regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The resiliency of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people is rooted deeply in culture, ancestry, and strength.

In the historical and ongoing process of colonization, Indigenous people were dehumanized. Colonialism and its impacts have lasted for generations in Canada and sexual violence has been used as a tool of colonial dominance, power, and control.

Colonists did not create sexual violence, but they have used it as a weapon to exert power and control over populations for centuries. Colonialism and sexual violence have similar roots – oppressive attitudes and beliefs. The same beliefs that justify the use of abusive behaviours are the ones that underpin colonial entitlement to take over the land and to undermine Indigenous ways of life.

European colonists settled on Turtle Island² with ideas of civilization and expansion. Some of the tools they used to accomplish these goals were Residential Schools, the foster care system, and the Indian Act. These all have greatly impacted First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people and their cultures. Sexual assault and abuse, especially against Indigenous children, occurred in all of these systems and continues to this day.

Traditionally, Indigenous women have been honoured as equals and seen as sacred, holding positions of leadership and influence. Colonial notions which positioned women as ‘less than’ dramatically disrupted Indigenous social structures, the impacts of which persist to this day. The continued dehumanization and objectification of Indigenous women in particular, has led to disproportionally high rates of sexual violence.

• More than one in five young Indigenous women are sexually assaulted in Canada.³
• Indigenous women are more likely to experience multiple forms of violence, including sexual violence, as well as the most severe forms that result in serious physical injury and homicide.⁴

No one knows for sure how many Indigenous women and girls have been murdered or gone missing in Canada. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) sought to acknowledge and honour the memory of all Indigenous women and girls—including Indigenous people who are Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, heterosexual, bisexual, transgender, queer, or non-binary, and those with disabilities or special needs—who are missing or who have lost their lives to violence.

The report released by the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people, Reclaiming Power and Place, points to persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses as the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people.⁵

The number of MMIWG was estimated to be 1,200 (for the years between 1980 and 2012) in the RCMP’s 2014 National Overview.⁶ Because of difficulties with the data behind the statistics, definitions and identification, and errors in reporting, the real number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is likely much higher.⁷ The general consensus is that the numbers are staggering.

Reclaiming Power and Place, along with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report prepared both Calls to Justice, and Calls to Action respectively, that we can follow. These calls ask us to reflect on, and to call out attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours that harm others, specifically Indigenous People. Reconciliation begins internally, then moves outward. We all have the responsibility to educate ourselves and others, tell the hard truths about Canada’s history, and change the trajectory of our country.

Sexual violence is about power and control. Members of the 2SLGBTQQIA community experience various forms of discrimination and oppression – such as homophobia, heterosexism, transphobia, and cissexism. These oppressive attitudes and beliefs are widespread and can manifest as discrimination, hate crime, sexual harassment, abuse, and assault. Sexual violence motivated by this type of hatred is more likely to be violent and result in injuries than sexual violence committed against heterosexual individuals.¹¹

Often, when people think of sexual violence they do so through a hetero- and cis-normative lens – male perpetrators and female victims. This contributes to the perceived invisibility of sexual violence against 2SLGBTQQIA people and to the resulting isolation that many survivors feel. Someone may not reach out for support because they are unsure about whether there is help available for them. Gender and sexually diverse survivors often experience additional barriers when seeking support or accessing justice. Not only do they struggle with feelings of confusion, guilt, and shame, along with the fear of not being believed, they may also worry about being outed, mis-gendered, or encountering homophobic or transphobic responses from support people and professionals.

Resources:

• Trans Life Line
• TransLink Network
• Trans Sexual Violence Survivors: A Self-Help Guide to Healing and Understanding
• A Guide for Partners and Loved Ones of Transgender Sexual Violence Survivors

People Living with Disabilities

People living with disabilities are more likely to be sexually abused or assaulted than those without disabilities¹². Consistent with patterns of sexual violence generally, there is a gendered aspect to sexual violence perpetrated against people living with a disability. In a group of over 5,000 women, those living with a disability were four times more likely to report having been sexually assaulted in the previous year.21 Women living with disabilities are also more likely to experience multiple forms of violence, more often.¹³

While women are at greater risk for sexual violence, men with an intellectual disability are sexually abused and assaulted more often than men without. However, this trend does not appear to hold across all men who have a disability.¹⁴ Many people living with a disability rely on others for help with mobility, toileting, eating, bathing, or other daily tasks. Sexual violence is most likely to be perpetrated against those with the greatest care or support needs. People living within residential or institutional settings are two to four times more likely to be sexually abused than people living with a disability in community.¹⁵

People with disabilities are consistently infantilized, devalued, and dehumanized. This makes it possible for others to minimize and justify their use of abusive behaviours against them. This choice is rooted in ableist attitudes and beliefs. Ableism is a set of discriminatory attitudes, beliefs, and practices that assign inferior value or worth to people with sensory, physical, and/or cognitive impairments.

People with disabilities are also desexualized or thought of as asexual. This can create a number of barriers for those seeking support after being sexually abused or assaulted. Quite often sexual violence goes unreported because it is not identified as abusive. When we do not teach people about healthy sexuality and consent, it is difficult to determine what is abusive. People with disabilities are often not offered comprehensive sexual health education. As a result, they may not know about consent or have the language/ability to describe what happened to them. There are a number of popular misconceptions about sexual violence. The misconception that people with disabilities are asexual increases the likelihood that survivors will not be believed when they disclose sexual violence.

A person’s dependence on someone who is sexually abusing them can also be the source of much fear and uncertainty. Fear of losing the care they need may be the reason someone does not disclose sexual violence. Many people living with disabilities are isolated from social supports and don’t necessarily have access to people they can disclose to. And if they do, verbal and/or written communication may also be a barrier to disclosure.