Assaults up in Nunavik

At last week’s meeting of the Kativik Regional Government council in Inukjuak, the Kativik Regional Police Force reported sobering news to the councillors: the number of assaults is rising noticeably in Nunavik.

In 2000, the KRPF recorded a total of 525 assaults in Nunavik — 199 for the Ungava Bay region and 326 for the Hudson Bay communities. In 2001, the number of assaults reached 723 — 229 for the Ungava Bay and 429 for the Hudson Bay region.

During the first month of 2002, there were 56 assaults in Nunavik. KRPF chief Brian Jones said if the trend continues, there will be nearly 700 assaults in Nunavik in 2002. He attributed this increase to drug and alcohol abuse.