GRSJ224/indigenouswomeninvancouver

Indigenous women in Vancouver, British Columbia constitute a huge cultural identity. Statistics demonstrate that Aboriginal people in British Columbia represent a total of 5% of the province’s population. However, it is clear that the socio-economic status of Aboriginal women in Vancouver demonstrates a disadvantage in comparison to other non-Aboriginals. Currently, the Aboriginal population represents a disproportionate amount in the criminal justice system in comparison to other ethnic backgrounds . Therefore, there are systemic as well as individual issues that need to be addressed in order to combat these issues.

Vancouver Women and the Downtown East Side

70% of Vancouver’s Aboriginal population reside in the Downtown Eastside, which is considered one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada. Of that 70 per cent, there is a ratio of 3:1 Aboriginal women residing in this neighbourhood. This urban ghetto is riddled with poor living conditions and has one of the highest densities of HIV/AIDS in the entire western world. People of the lowest social status live here, and the women working here are often young sex workers with little education. Barriers including little social welfare and access to community suggest that we need to identify the gaps which prevent Aboriginal women from integrating with society. In addition, there needs to be better services available and housing so that the low living conditions can improve.

Issues encountered by Aboriginal women in Vancouver

Physical Abuse

Aboriginal women demonstrate higher life-threatening and gender based violence. Statistics Canada show how Aboriginal women experience much higher rates of violence than non-Aboriginal women. For example, 54% of Aboriginal women reported severe forms of family violence, versus 37% of non-Aboriginal women. In addition, the rates of spousal assault against Aboriginal women are more than 3 times high than non-Aboriginal women. These statistics demonstrate that violence against Aboriginal women is occurring in alarming rates. We need to recognise this as a huge concern, as both a cultural and social issue. Aboriginal women deserve the freedom to feel safe, and should not be a target for violence due to their cultural background.

Substance Abuse

Aboriginal people are some of the highest rates of substance abusers in Canada. Women are known to suffer more physiologically from substance abuse than men. Women are more susceptible to conditions such as osteoporosis, brain impairment and gastric ulcers as a precursor to substance abuse.(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2002) There are many social issues that influence Aboriginal women to abuse substances. The most common is alcoholism. Some issues include social pressure, pathway to problematic use and the lack of social support available to women.

Sex Trade

Aboriginal women are highly represented in the sex trade. 52 per cent of women working in the lowest form of sex trade are young Aboriginal women.This is an alarming rate, and it suggests that there is marginalisation and social isolation that makes lower paying sex work an option for employment. Sex trade is a last option for all women, regardless of ethnic background because of the dangerous conditions. Women working in low level sex trade is extremely dangerous and has heightened risk of catching diseases.

Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Missing Women

582 known cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women have occurred between 1990 and 2010. The known perpetrator, Robert Pickton, is now on trial for these murders. However, there has been a lot of upset in the Aboriginal community because the missing cases of these women were not taken seriously because of the fact that they were Aboriginal. This highlights the fact that marginalised women are often overlooked when victims of crime. The police investigation of this case has caused a lot of social issues, because it suggested that sex trade workers and Aboriginal women are not regarded to as equal in Vancouver, B.C. The unacceptable situation of the missing women highlights how there needs to be positive change in order to stop the perpetual racism against Aboriginal women. Although Vancouver Police Department regrets the mistakes that they made, they fact that their mistakes costed so many lives suggests that the entire police department itself needs to change their practices so that Aboriginal women are given the same protection as others.

Over Representation in the Criminal Justice System

In Canada, Aboriginal women account for 1/5 of the total federal and provincial prison population. This is an alarming rate and extremely disproportionate in comparison to other ethnic backgrounds. The criminal justice system - often hold the view that Aboriginal women are responsible for their crimes and should be sent to prison, instead of looking at a better alternative to solve these issues. Aboriginal women are looked upon as perpetrators of crime instead of through sympathetic eyes.

Support

Community Programs

Community outreach and support has been given for Aboriginal women in Vancouver. There are many community programs which Aboriginal women can join in order to better improve and understand their situation. The Canadian government has recognised the need for these efforts, and has committed “1 million dollars to support the development of social and community based projects” so that there are better alternatives for Aboriginal women to take. Many of these programs offered are specialised so that they can help women of trauma cope better as well as understand the harsh after affects of colonisation. One of the main programs for Aboriginal women is the Battered Women Support Service (BWSS) in which they offer violence prevention and intervention through counselling, advocacy, training for service providers and support groups. Through initiatives like these, Aboriginal women can feel comfortable and safe in a non-judgmental atmosphere, so that they can help improve their socio-economic status and create social justice.

Indigenous Women working out of Vancouver

Screenshot of Tailfeathers' work: A Red Girls Reasoning

Whilst community outreach programs such as BWSS functions to help prevent violence towards indigenous women within the city of Vancouver, artists such as Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers are working to help repair the misrepresentation of indigenous culture within the public consciousness. As a result of injustices towards indigenous women throughout Northern America, they have received a poor representation for their involvement with substance abuse and the sex trade. Due to Tailfeathers heritage she is able to infiltrate this discourse and give relative insight into the issue of gendered racial violence through the creation of an objective commentary, which can be seen in A Red Girl's Reasoning. Tailfeathers believes the intent of her work is to discuss the deeply rooted social and “personal is always political”.