A new study shows that Indigenous women in Canada are more likely to face violence in their lifetime.
Statistics Canada says more than 6 in 10 Indigenous women — or 63 per cent — experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime, with 56 per cent experiencing physical assault and 46 per cent experiencing sexual assault.
That’s compared to about 34 per cent of non-Indigenous women who experienced physical assault and 33 per cent who experienced sexual assault.
Almost two-thirds of First Nations and Métis women experienced violent victimization, while the proportion among Inuit women was the same as non-Indigenous women.
Indigenous women are also more likely to experience intimate partner violence, with more than 4 in 10 respondents — or 44 per cent — experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
That number is significantly higher than non-Indigenous women, with 25 per cent experiencing physical or sexual violence.
In addition, 55 per cent of Indigenous women experienced violence from non-intimate partners, such as acquaintances, friends or strangers.
The full details from the study are available in the Juristat article “Violent victimization and perceptions of safety: Experiences of First Nations, Métis and Inuit women in Canada.”
It focuses on Indigenous women’s experiences of self-reported violent victimization and the types of violence experienced, perceptions of neighbourhood disorder and safety, and confidence and trust in the police and the justice system.