Indigenous women more often abused by RCMP, new report confirms

Released on May 9, the report of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (New window) (AFAI) notes that evidence of harassment and violence against women by the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police are shocking, and their number continues to grow. According to the 56-page document, Indigenous women are disproportionately affected.

” Indigenous women and girls have long been targets of sexual violence and exploitation by state actors, including the police. »

Ms Palmater co-authored the report with Sivangi Misra, Ashley Major and Shelagh Day of theDIDCanadian Feminist Alliance for International Action. This was partly funded by the Federal Ministry for Women and Gender Equality.

The association, which is made up of women’s human rights organizations across Canada, has compiled and analyzed news reports, public inquiries and published documents over the past decade.

Systemic discrimination

The report says these show evidence of a pattern of discrimination, harassment and assault against women by police officers. RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police.

L’DIDCanadian Feminist Alliance for International Action requests that a review be conducted to determine how the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police treats women as both employers and service providers.

In a statement emailed to CBCCanadian Broadcasting Corporation News, a spokesperson for the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police said his organization was aware of the report. The RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police is subject to reviews by a number of external agenciescontinues the press release.

” As we have demonstrated in the past on a variety of topics, we welcome any review that could improve our operations. While recognizing that much remains to be done, the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police has been active in facilitating change. »

The report was delivered to Federal Minister for Public Security Marco Mendicino and Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality.

In an emailed statement, the Minister of Public Safety wrote: There is absolutely no place for misogyny, harassment or violence within the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police or in Canadian society.

” For too long there has been a culture within the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police that tolerates systemic inequality and that has led to misogyny, discrimination, harassment and workplace violence. »

The press release indicates that the ministry has started reforms, in particular by creating the Independent Harassment Resolution Center, strengthening the monitoring of the Advisory Council for the management of RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police and ensuring that the workforce RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police better reflects the diversity in the country.

At press time, the Department for Women and Gender Equality had not responded to a request for comment.

According to Ms Palmater, the culture of misogyny and racism within the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police was highlighted by the findings of former Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache in 2020, in his report on the implementation of the Merlo-Davidson settlement, on the sexual harassment of employees of the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police.

If female RCMP officers are not immune to sexual assault by male police officers, it is no surprise that marginalized Indigenous women and girls are in the same situationsaid Ms. Palmater.

Defamed, monitored, criminalized

The study also cites other reports, including the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, as evidence of the failure of the RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted Police prevent violence against Indigenous women and girls and thoroughly investigate their disappearances and deaths.

The report released on Monday also indicates that defenders of indigenous ancestral territories, many of whom are women, are defamed, surveilled, criminalized and subjected to violence by theRCMP RCMP by being arrested and forcibly expelled from their territories.

These acts violate women’s right to equality and non-discrimination.said Shelagh Day, chair of the human rights committee of theDIDCanadian Feminist Alliance for International Action.

” Canada cannot have a credible national action plan on violence against women or a credible national action plan on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls while the culture of misogyny and racism in the RCMP is not eradicated. »

According to Senator Kim Pate, who was present at the press conference, such acts are also observable within the army and federal prisons.

While there has been a lot of effort to try to address these issues, we see the very real need for the kinds of accountability and oversight calls that theDIDCanadian Feminist Alliance for International Action launched.

Based on text by Ka’nhehsí:io Deer, CBC