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32 nd Canadian Congress on Criminal Justice Halifax, Nova Scotia October 29, 2009

“Shrugged off and brushed to the side”: Police (Non)Responsiveness to Families of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls. 32 nd Canadian Congress on Criminal Justice Halifax, Nova Scotia October 29, 2009. Outline. Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) Sisters In Spirit (SIS)

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32 nd Canadian Congress on Criminal Justice Halifax, Nova Scotia October 29, 2009

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  1. “Shrugged off and brushed to the side”:Police (Non)Responsiveness to Families of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls 32nd Canadian Congress on Criminal Justice Halifax, Nova Scotia October 29, 2009

  2. Outline • Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) • Sisters In Spirit (SIS) • SIS Education • SIS Policy • SIS Research • Sisters In Spirit Research Results • Stolen Sisters video • “Shrugged off and brushed to the side”: Police (Non)Responsiveness to Families of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls

  3. The Native Women’s Association of Canada • Goal to enhance, promote and foster the social, economic and political well-being of Aboriginal women • Current membership of 11 Native women’s organizations across Canada, including the Nova ScotiaNative Women’s Association • Incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1974 • NWAC engages in national strategies aimed at legislative and policy reforms to promote equal opportunity for Aboriginal women

  4. Sisters In Spirit • Multi-year research, education and policy initiative addressing violence against Aboriginal women, specifically the high numbers of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada • Better understand root causes of violence against Aboriginal women and identify measures to increase safety and well-being • Honour women and girls who have been lost to violence and remember those still missing

  5. Sisters In Spirit Education • Sisters In Spirit Vigils: “What are you doing on October 4th?” • 72 Vigils in 2009 across Canada • 40 Vigils in 2008 • 30 Vigils in 2007 • 11 Vigils in 2006 • 10 Community Engagement Workshops across Canada each year • 4 community education tool kits • Navigating the Missing Persons Process • Unlocking the Mystery of Media Relations • Raising Awareness • Safety Measures for Aboriginal Women

  6. Sisters In Spirit Policy • Reduction of violence • Economic security • Access to justice • Reduction of the impact/number of children in the child welfare system

  7. Sisters In Spirit Research • Sharing, caring, trust and strength • Community-based approach • Research for change process • Families are the experts; collaborative, reciprocal process between equal partners • Methodology privileges the experiences of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, girls and their families • Storytelling • SIS database • Limitations of research

  8. Cases in Canada

  9. Missing or Murdered

  10. Age

  11. Family Size

  12. Years of Incidents

  13. Clearance of Murder Cases 52% of cases cleared 43% of cases not cleared 5% unknown

  14. Stolen Sisters (FahrenheitFilms & Global) video clip

  15. “Shrugged off and brushed to the side”: Police (non)Responsiveness to Families of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls • Where We Have Been • Background and Literature Review • Where We Are • Analysis of families of missing and murdered women’s stories about their experiences with police • Where We Will Go • Discussion and Conclusion

  16. Methodology • “How do police respond to families of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls?” • Discourse analysis • 15 stories shared by families of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls • Limitations: • Differences between policing agencies • Scope of interviews with families • Changing perceptions over time

  17. Where We Have Been • Murder a “new” issue for Aboriginal peoples/communities • Colonization • History of mistrust in Aboriginal-police relations • “Historic” & “Modern” • Aboriginal women’s perception of police • Racial profiling in policing

  18. Where We Are • Frustration. Apathy. Fear. Distrust. Anger. • Racism and Stereotypes • “A Rough Time” • Communication

  19. Where We Are • Missing Persons Process • Searches • Positive Police Practices • Kind. Non-judgmental. Caring. Helpful.

  20. Racism and Stereotypes • “Drunken Indian” stereotype • “Out partying” • “She liked to party too much!” and she was a “Native Indian and known alcohol and crack addict” • Pictures of empty beer bottles • Perceptions of racism • Difference for Aboriginal women • Just “another dead Indian” • Despite being Aboriginal…

  21. “A Rough Time” • Strained relationships between police and families • “Do you know how many women go missing downtown?” • Just a number • Myths • Wait one week to report disappearance • Police will wait 48 hours to take action • Affecting case outcomes • Discouraged access to police service • False promises of media publicity

  22. Communication • 8 families received at least one update • Half received regular updates • Minimum standards • Family’s persistence • One-sided • Language barriers • 2 families never received an update • 3 families felt police ignored them

  23. Missing Persons Process • 2 missing persons reports accepted immediately • 6 missing persons reports not accepted immediately • “Maybe she doesn’t want to be found” • Could not file as an adopted daughter • “Trying to brush me off” • “Accepted” report—but didn’t take it seriously • “You will find her before we will” • “She’ll come home on her own” • 2 weeks to 7 months for real action

  24. Searches • 8 families searched for their missing loved one • 4 families never had police-led search • “Give us some time or give us a place to look” • 2 families made and distributed their own missing persons posters • 4 families conducted interviews • 5 families organized their own ground searches • Communities stood in solidarity with families

  25. Positive Police Practices • Police honoured family’s request • Work with a female, First Nation officer • Police come to family home in plain clothing • Police secure prime-time media coverage for missing woman • Officers worked overtime without pay to find and charge murderers • Dedicated officers promise to persevere on unsolved cases • Police helped murdered woman’s son attend court proceedings while in custody • Police introduced family to victim services • Kind. Non-judgmental. Caring. Helpful.

  26. Where We Will Go • Violence against Aboriginal women requires immediate public attention • Barriers must be addressed and overcome • Listening to communities and families is key • Decolonization and reclaiming our ways of being • Change on the horizon • Saskatoon Police Service • Families push for justice for their mothers, daughters, grandmothers and sisters

  27. Migwetch! Wela’lin! Thank you! Merci!

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