Violence Against Aboriginal Women

Violence towards Aboriginal women is a systemic problem in Canada. The history of colonization is said to have contributed to the endemic culture of violence and sexual exploitation (Sethi, 2007). Aboriginal women are disproportionately involved in domestic spousal violence and are additionally subjected to violence within their communities. In fact, the prevalence of violence towards aboriginal women is eight times higher than among non-Aboriginal people (M. Reid, personal communication, November 9, 2015). This violence and abuse is an issue affecting whole communities and not confined to individuals and families; it is rooted in the complex web of Aboriginal community history and current dynamics (Bopp, Bopp, & Lane, 2003). Additionally, violence among aboriginal women is most common in women aged 15 to 34 which comprises 54% of victims of violence (Brennan, 2011). For the focus of this paper, violence against Aboriginal women executed by members of the police service will be examined. On October 23, 2015 there was an incident in a remote mining town in Quebec (Val-d’Or) where the provincial police force suspended eight officers accused of abuse of power and assault towardt aboriginal women (Woods, 2015). The main focus will be to address the issues related to aboriginal women and violence with police. There are sociological and psychological perspectives that relate to this issue. The issue of violence against Aboriginal women and the police is obviously more complicated than domestic violence alone. The cycle of abuse is more complicated in this instance. The first sociological issue to be considered is the fact that police are supposed to be a …show more content…
As well as aboriginal communities having both economic and/or alcohol/substance abuse