Women's Advocacy Council

6 days ago

Today, on May 5th, 2021, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), the Women’s Advocacy Council and the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie honours all Indigenous mothers, daughters, aunties, sisters, grandmothers, nieces and cousins. On this day of national importance, we can honour the MMIWG by embracing and supporting community healing.

As part of the events on Red Dress Day across the country, an emphasis on the document Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and calls to action. (www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Final_Report_Vol_1a-1.pdf) We encourage our community to read along with our Local Municipality, Provincial government and Federal government to put the Master list of Recommendations into action and take the time to read the recommendations, it can be found at (www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/National-Inquiry-Master-List-of-Report-Recommendati...)
There are believed to be over 5,000 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls across Canada. Reclaiming Power and Place characterized the crisis as a "colonial genocide” in Canada. When we incorporate race-based violence and discrimination within the healthcare, child welfare, policing and justice systems these stem from the same structures of colonization of Indigenous people. When we look at the deaths throughout residential schools, residential day schools, 60’s scoop and millennial scoops, the number of Indigenous deaths tolls rise.

Indigenous artist Jamie Black brings awareness to the violence Indigenous women face who originally established Red Dress Day. Black began the tradition with an art installation in Winnipeg that saw red dresses hung as a reminder of those who have gone missing because of domestic and sexual violence.

The day serves to honour the memory of those who are missing and murdered. May 5th is to take action, to address the crisis of our Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.

Sarah Cunningham, Women’s Advocacy Council Coordinator states: “Indigenous women are 12 times more likely to be murdered than Any Women in Canada; Indigenous Women are 7 times more likely to be targeted by Serial Killers. The FemicideInCanada.ca in their report last year indicated 160 women murdered in Canada by gendered based violence. Out of the 160 women killed in Canada, only 128 women’s race/ethnicity documented. Out of the 128-documented races/ethnicity, 30 Indigenous Women reported killed by gendered base violence. This translates to 1 in 5 women murdered last year were Indigenous women. Indigenous women only make up 3-4% of the population in Canada. Last year in 2020, Indigenous women represented 23% of the women killed in Canada. May 5th we honor Our Indigenous women and girls today and always, nor will we forget those taken too soon from us, in our Communities and families. I encourage everyone to read the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Reclaiming Power and Place the Final Report Volume 1a and 1b along with the Master list of recommendations. We can no longer deny Women and Children safety and security. We need space to protect and support all women and children who experience any forms of violence. ”

Today we encourage our communities to reach out to inform and educate ourselves about the systemic causes of all forms of Violence, we will end Violence in Canada only together can we do this.

If you know a woman experiencing violence, please contact the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie Crisis line at 705-728-2544. We are available 24/7. You can visit www.barrieshelter.com for more information. ... See MoreSee Less

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