Violence

• Women and their children of all cultures are horribly abused and are deeply affected by violence.
• Métis Women and their children are more vulnerable to violence, and their children are most at risk.

Recognizing that Métis women who are victims of domestic violence are faced with unique barriers to receiving assistance and face additional challenges rarely encountered by mainstream Canadian women. The isolation, economic structure, social and cultural pressures, and lack of available services in their communities significantly compound the problems faced by Métis women victims seeking to end the violence in their lives. The unique circumstances of Métis women concerning sociocultural, economic and geographic barriers hinder victim advocates from identifying and assisting Métis women and their children.

The Métis National Council of Women has undertaken extensive consultations on Métis family violence and it was revealed that there is considerable concern about the prevalence of family violence in Métis communities and a serious need to address it. In the absence of published credible data, these results support the findings in consultations that were undertaken previously by other Aboriginal organizations and reported to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

Literature review undertaken by the Métis National Council of Women revealed work has been done on family violence affecting Indian and Inuit women. However, there are very few specific data sources on family violence affecting Métis women and their children. The Métis National Council of Women has taken the view that as the socio-economic conditions of Métis women vary only in degrees from those of Indian and Inuit women, the prevalence of violence can be imputed to be roughly the same.

Métis women, for the most part, are an invisible society when statistical data is gathered and without the advent of a statistical review, specifically targeted at the Métis community, they will remain invisible. What is apparent from our consultations is that there is a need for education, prevention, and intervention.

The Métis National Council of Women believes strongly that a greater effort must be made to end violence against Métis women and their children who at this time are not fully served by the existing programs.

Addressing and reducing violence against Métis women and their children means righting the economic, cultural, social, legal, and political bases of inequality. Society in general will also be beneficiaries to the reduction in violence against Métis women and their children with the decrease in the social and economic costs for victims. Métis women and their children will begin the process to become viable and contributing members of society.