On December 6, 1989, a gunman killed 14 women at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, before killing himself. In the suicide note he left on his body, he described his rage against women and identified their pursuit of social equality as the event that singularly “ruined his life.” His actions echoed acts of domestic murder and abuse committed against women, girls and gender diverse people even today.

Violence can affect anyone—but the events of December 6, 1989 made clear that violent victimization is often gendered. In Canada, for example, the rate of sexual assault victimization is more than five times higher among women (50 per 1,000) than men (9 per 1,000)[1]. In its Ontario-wide research, TransPulse found that trans people are also the targets of specifically directed violence[2]. And in 2022, the Ontario Association of Interval Houses (OAITH) acknowledged 52 women and girls who lost their lives to femicide over the past year in Ontario alone: 52 femicides in 52 weeks in Ontario alone[3].

While violence is often gendered, it is also informed by race

While violence is often gendered, racism continues to particularly devalue the lives of Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people.

It’s important to raise awareness about and name violence impacting Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people in Canada. In one recent example, Winnipeg police charged a man with killing Morgan Beatrice Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois — all of whom were Indigenous — and a fourth woman who has yet to be identified[4]. The Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) notes that these “serial murders that occurred in Winnipeg, Manitoba are a national tragedy, and another example of racism and hate”[5] targeting Indigenous communities.

The harm and exploitation of Indigenous bodies through violence is rooted in Canada’s colonial legacy. For example, violence brought by colonialism “upon Indigenous Peoples was normalized through the propagation of degrading cultural and sexual myths concerning Indigenous women and men”[6], as well as ideas of white superiority and white womanhood[7]. In our colonial history, those that harmed or killed Indigenous people were rarely held accountable for their actions.

Unfortunately, these trends continue and contribute to a systemic problem of violence against Indigenous women. In 2021, two years after the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was released, for example, progress in addressing systemic issues that inform violence against Indigenous people has been slow[8].

Gender-based violence impacts Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people

Gender-based violence impacts Indigenous communities differently than other communities in Canada. For example:

  • Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to be murdered or to go missing than members of any other demographic group in Canada —and 16 times more likely to be slain or to disappear than white women[9]
  • Indigenous women aged 25 to 44 are five times more likely than other Canadian women of the same age to die as a result of violence[10]
  • Indigenous women in Canada today are three times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be violently or sexually assaulted[11]
  • A TransPulse study on the experiences of racialized trans and non-binary persons found that physical violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault were all significantly more common among racialized respondents, including Indigenous persons, when compared to non-racialized respondents[12].

Indigenous groups and their allies have known this for years, and have pressed for government for action. In one recent example, the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) stated:

“Canada needs to change the story of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The country needs to focus on addressing root causes and prevention against these tragedies by supporting Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirited people, empowering them, protecting their rights, and assisting them in taking up their leadership role within their communities”[13].

Seeing and speaking out against inaction is an important part of addressing violence against Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people. Recognition of these problems must be accompanied by strategies for change, and leadership to move strategies forward.

Support for Indigenous survivors of violence

If you are personally affected by racism and gender-based violence, or the recent reports of Indigenous women who were killed, please know that there are spaces and people that support you.

For allies

If you are a settler ally, a person in the community, or a person with leadership, there are things you can do to support Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people too. You can:

Violence in all its forms is an expression of intolerance, inequality and fear.  The best way to prevent violence is to work with others for change. On December 6, we remember all women, girls and gender diverse people who have experienced violence.

Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) is a network of community-based sexual assault centres in Ontario. Member centres have been supporting survivors of sexual violence and offering prevention education.  If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, go to https://sexualassaultsupport.ca/support/. 

[1] Statistics Canada. Released: 2021-08-25. Criminal victimization in Canada, 2019. Online: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210825/dq210825a-eng.htm

[2] Bauer, Greta & Scheim, Ayden. (2015). Transgender People in Ontario, Canada: Statistics from the Trans PULSE Project to Inform Human Rights Policy: 4.

[3] Ontario Association of Interval Houses (OAITH). November 25th, 2022. 52 Femicides in 52 Weeks in One Province, Is Not Just. Online: https://www.oaith.ca/assets/library/2021-2022-Annual-Femicide-List-Press-Release.pdf

[4] CBC News. December 2, 2022. Winnipeg man charged with killing 3 Indigenous women. Online: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2132525635624

[5] Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA).  December 6, 2022. Ontario Native Women’s Association Outraged by Winnipeg Murders and Violence that Continues to Plague Indigenous Women Nationally. Online: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ontario-native-women-association-outraged-130000250.html

[6] Nonomura, Robert. (2020). Trafficking at the Intersections: Racism, Colonialism, Sexism, and Exploitation in Canada. Learning Network Brief (36). London, Ontario: Learning Network, Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children. Online: http://www.vawlearningnetwork.ca/our-work/briefs/brief-36.html: 8-9.

[7] Pietsch, N. “‘Doing Something’ About ‘Coming Together’: The Surfacing of Intersections of Race, Sex, and Sexual Violence in Victim-Blaming and in the SlutWalk Movement.” This Is What a Feminist Slut Looks Like: Perspectives on the SlutWalk Movement, edited by Alyssa Teekah et al., Demeter Press, Bradford, ON, 2015, pp. 77–91.

[8] Fiddler, T. for Education International. 2 December 2022. #16Days | Ending the Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls. Online: https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/27134:16days-ending-the-violence-against-indigenous-women-and-girls

[9] National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). Report released June 2019. Online: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/

[10] 2004 Amnesty International report, “Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada.”

[11] Native Women’s Association of Canada. 2021. NWAC ’s Action Plan to End the A tack Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender-Diverse People . Online: https://www.nwac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/NWAC-action-plan-FULL-ALL-EDITS.pdf. 5.

[12] TransPulse. November 2020. Health and Wellbeing Among Racialized Trans Non-Binary People.

[13] Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA).  December 6, 2022. Ontario Native Women’s Association Outraged by Winnipeg Murders and Violence that Continues to Plague Indigenous Women Nationally. Online: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ontario-native-women-association-outraged-130000250.html

[14] Native Women’s Association of Canada. 2021. NWAC ’s Action Plan to End the A tack Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender-Diverse People . Online: https://www.nwac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/NWAC-action-plan-FULL-ALL-EDITS.pdf. 4.