A Statement from Indigenous Women’s Shelters in NB
Disproportionately higher rates of violence and victimization of Indigenous people is rooted in the traumatic and destructive history of colonization that has impacted and continues to impact Indigenous families. Violent victimization has had profound impacts on First Nations in terms of social, economic, and emotional well-being. Reporting violence against women is largely impacted by mistrust in police and the criminal justice system. Generations of Indigenous people have been impacted by negative consequences of colonization and their policies rooted in the Indian Act, and this violence continues to occur over multiple generations.
Indigenous women in New Brunswick must have equal and fair access to safety and justice in our communities. We must work with all levels of government to develop programs and services that are culturally appropriate.
Insufficient government funding continues to serve as a systemic barrier to implementing meaningful change. We call upon the full implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Funding models must work to strengthen Indigenous women’s self-determination rather than reinforce colonial patterns.
New Brunswick must take immediate and meaningful action to address the systemic issues that have allowed for violence against Indigenous women.
-Nignen Women’s Shelter & Gignoo Transition House
Violence Against Indigenous Women
Despite only accounting for around 5% of the female population in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2021), Indigenous women experience some of the highest rates of violence.
The following are some results taken from "Intimate partner violence: Experiences of First Nations, Métis and Inuit women in Canada, 2018" by Loanna Heidinger, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, which is an article based on self-reported data from the 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces (SSPPS). You can read the full article here.
Indigenous women are experiencing all types of IPV at higher rates.
Indigenous women (61%) are more likely to experience some form of Intimate Partner Violence in their lifetime (since the age of 15) compared with non-Indigenous women (44%).
Physical and sexual violence are often considered more severe forms of Intimate Partner Violence. A significantly higher proportion of Indigenous women (44%) compared with non-Indigenous women (25%) experienced either physical or sexual abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Psychological abuse was the most commonly experienced form of IPV by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous women; however, a significantly higher proportion of Indigenous women experienced psychological abuse in their lifetime (60%) and compared with the proportions among non-Indigenous women who experienced this abuse in their lifetime (42%).
Indigenous women were almost three times more likely to experience financial abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetime compared with non-Indigenous women.
It is also clear that the intersection of Indigenous identity with other characteristics influences the experience of IPV.
LGBTQ2S Indigenous women (86%) are more likely to experience Intimate Partner Violence in their lifetime compared with non-LGBTQ2S Indigenous women (59%).
More Indigenous women with a disability (74%) have experienced Intimate Partner Violence in their lifetime compared with Indigenous women without a disability (46%).
Indigenous women are not only at a higher risk for experiencing IPV, but also for gendered violence perpetrated by non-intimate partners.
Across the provinces, over 1 in 2 (50% or more) Indigenous women experienced physical or sexual violence by other perpetrators in their lifetime compared with 44% or less experienced by non-Indigenous women.
Rates of violence against Indigenous women are even higher in the territories.
Overall, rates are high when it is any person (meaning an intimate partner or another perpetrator) that is committing the violence.
Approximately 6 in 10 (63%) Indigenous women experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime compared with 45% of non-Indigenous women.
Between 2009 and 2021, the rate of homicide against First Nations, Métis and Inuit women and girls was six times higher than the rate among their non-Indigenous counterparts.*
There is an ongoing national crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S+). Between 1980 and 2012, there were 1,181 confirmed cases of “police-recorded incidents of Aboriginal female homicides and unresolved missing Aboriginal females”.** It is possible that the actual number of cases is even higher, due to the possibility of underreporting or challenges with data collection.
* This finding was taken from "Court outcomes in homicides of Indigenous women and girls, 2009 to 2021" by Marta Burczycka and Adam Cotter, which is an article that uses data from the Homicide Survey and the Integrated Criminal Court Survey. You can read the full article here.
** This finding was taken from “Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women: A National Operational Overview, 2014” by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which is a report resulting from the RCMP-led study that was initiated in 2013. You can read the full report here.
Support Services for Indigenous Peoples
For emergency housing, programs, and supports for Indigenous women experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence in NB, please contact Nignen Women’s Shelter (1 (833) 644-3002) or Gignoo Transition House (24/7 Helpline: 1 (800) 565-6878, Local Crisis Line: (506) 458-1224).
There are currently four domestic violence outreach workers in NB providing services specifically to Indigenous folks. They serve the following geographic areas:
St. Mary's, Kingsclear, Oromocto - (506) 452-2760, Cell: (506) 230-0287
Tobique First Nation - (506) 273-5470, Cell: (506) 273-0724
Elsipogtog First Nation - (506) 523-4747
Eel Ground, Burnt Church, Metepenagiag - (506) 626-1399
The Elsipogtog Health & Wellness Centre provides a range of client services, including the Elsipogtog Crisis Centre with a 24-hour helpline at 1-506-523-8260 or toll free 1-855-523-8260.
The New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples Council (NBAPC) is leading a community driven project called Looking Out For Each Other: Assisting Aboriginal families and communities when an Aboriginal woman goes missing. The project includes many informational resources, as well as a 24/7 helpline that families can call when a loved one goes missing, to help them in navigating the various systems. You can call the helpline at: 1-833-MMI-FIND or 1 (833) 664-3463.
For support related to MMIWG2S+, there is a national support line you can reach at 1-844-413-6649.
For counselling services available 24/7 in English and French and upon request in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut, Indigenous Peoples can access the national Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or through an online chat on their website.
Informational Materials about DIPV and Indigenous Peoples
Visit the Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) online for a Directory of Services for Victims of Abuse in First Nations Communities. PLEIS-NB also provides a number of informational resources about Family Violence Prevention in Indigenous Communities, including a guide on Emergency Protection Orders for Couples Living on Reserve, a booklet for Aboriginal Women on Creating Healthy Personal Relationships, and many materials from the Healing Journey.
Visit the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) online for informational resources and programs. NWAC’s Supports Toolkits can help you to navigate topics like Family Violence Housing or Housing for Pets. The Safe Passage Program includes maps of cases of MMIWG2S+ and of community based resources across Canada, the ability to submit an unsafe experience, and a resource centre including materials such as “You Are Not Alone: a toolkit for Aboriginal women escaping domestic violence”.
The Commission of Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was established in 2016. Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was released in 2019 and includes 231 Calls for Justice.
In response to the Final Report, the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan: Ending Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People was co-developed by a core working group in collaboration with the National Family and Survivors Circle and contributing partners.
The Government of New Brunswick published Weaving Our Voices Together: New Brunswick’s Path to Safety for Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People in 2023. This is New Brunswick’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Find out more about MMIWG2S+.
Additional Resources
Indigenous Women of The Wabanaki Territories (IWWT) is a non-profit organization providing programs, workshops, resources, and information for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ gender-diverse people from Wabanaki and urban communities.
Under One Sky Friendship Centre is a non-profit organization providing programs, supports, training, and information relevant to Indigenous Peoples.
The Wabanaki Collection is a project run by the University of New Brunswick’s Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre that provides materials to allow educators and the general public to become familiar with Wabanaki worldviews, culture, history, and treaty.
For a full list of resources for Indigenous Peoples’ use and/or for learning about Indigenous cultures, visit GNB’s Department of Indigenous Affairs.
For information on services for Indigenous Peoples across Canada, visit Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).
Our Commitment
DVANB is grateful to be situated on what is today known as New Brunswick, which is the unsurrendered and unceded traditional territory of the Wolastoqiyik, Mi'kmaq, and Passamaquoddy peoples. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which the Wabanaki Nations first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized the Wolastoqey, Mi'kmaq, and Passamaquoddy titles and established the rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations.
DVANB is committed to standing with Indigenous women, girls, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community against the severe violence that they face, as well as the Indigenous women’s shelters that support them. Our work involves raising awareness about the ongoing violence and the resources that are available, providing training opportunities for staff in the DIPV sector, and ensuring that Indigenous voices are heard during our activities. DVANB will continue to work with and learn from Indigenous communities, and advocate for an end to violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.