HCHR- New data released by Statistics Canada in May found that more than 6 out of 10 Indigenous women reported experiencing physical or sexual assault at some point in their lifetime. Canada has yet to release a federal action plan to address violence against Indigenous women and girls.
In 2019, only 6% of sexual assault incidents experienced by Canadians 15 and older had been reported to the police. Sexual assaults account for one-third of an overall 5% increase in reports of violent crime, with homicides, criminal harassment, hate crimes, and firearm offenses also on the rise. The vast majority (96%) of detected victims of human trafficking were women and girls. In all, 1 in 4 (25%) victims was under 18.
Following a new report on sexual violence in the Canadian armed forces (CAF), a former supreme court justice said: “Some members of the Canadian military face greater harm from their comrades than from the enemy.”. referred to as Arbor, the 404-page report pinpoints the many failures of the CAF over the years to address misogyny, discrimination, sexual violence, and trauma experienced predominantly by female members of the military. About a quarter of the women serving in the Canadian military say they have been sexually assaulted during their military careers.
Canada has always been under fire by some Indigenous Peoples’ human rights societies for providing the possibility of continuous violation of aboriginal women’s rights to life, freedom, and security. Indigenous people are overrepresented as victims of violence in Canada, and Indigenous women, in particular, experience disproportionately high rates of violence. Violence against Indigenous peoples reflects the traumatic and destructive history of colonialization that impacted and continues to impact Indigenous families, communities, and Canadian society overall. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women across the country are still experiencing higher rates of violence and sexual assault than non-Indigenous women. More than 6 in 10 Indigenous women (63%) experienced either physical or sexual assault in their lifetime.
The number of women in federal prisons has jumped significantly in Canada in the last three decades. From 2006 to 2016, the number of non-Indigenous women in custody increased by 44% (the Department of Justice, 2018). Currently, nearly 50 % of the omen in federal prisons are indigenous. Less than 5% of Canadians are indigenous, but they are half of the women serving sentences in federal prisons. Indigenous women also spend more time in solitary confinement and have a harder time qualifying for parole. Indigenous people receive higher security classifications and lower reintegration scores than non-Indigenous inmates.
Moreover, Women make up 27% of the overall homeless population in Canada. On any given night in Canada, 6,000 women (often with children) seek refuge in emergency shelters. About 75% of homeless women struggle with disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia.
According to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and as confirmed by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, women usually become more vulnerable to homelessness due to poverty, low wages, intimate partner violence, sexual abuse, addiction, mental and physical health challenges, and child care issues.
Regarding Domestic Violence, the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics says there were 358,244 victims of police-reported violence in the country last 2019. Women are 3.5 times more likely to experience violence than men, with 536 women vs. 149 men per 100,000 population. The rate of domestic violence in men is significantly increasing between 2018 and 2019.
In 2021, police reported 788 homicides, 29 more than in 2020, representing a 3% increase nationwide. In Canada, in 2020 alone, 160 females were victims of violent homicide, which averages to a woman or girl being killed every 2.5 days. Aboriginal women are at a higher risk of experiencing violence than non-Aboriginal women. Making up less than 5% of Canada’s population, Indigenous women make up 16% of femicide victims.
When it comes to the gender gap in overall economic participation and opportunity, Canada ranks only 40 in the World Economic Forum’s (2021) listing of 156 countries. Women in Canada’s workforce earn approximately 89 cents for every dollar earned by men. It is important to note that gender inequality affects women differently based on race, age, gender identity, and disability.
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