Grade 10 Inuksuk High School student Mia Pitseolak, 15, drums to “This Child,” by Susan Aglukark, alongside the rest of the Inuksuk Drummers and Dancers at Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum Friday. (Photo by Daron Letts)

Iqaluit youth demand end to gender-based violence

Students sing, drum and recite poetry as a call to action during march Friday

By Daron Letts

Young people made their voices heard in Iqaluit Friday at a gathering to observe the 35th National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Students at Inuksuk High School designed dozens of placards that were carried by many in the crowd, which grew to about 50 people by the time it reached Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum.

Abigail Atienza carries one of dozens of placards designed by Inuksuk High School students to mark the 35th annual National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.  (Photo by Daron Letts)

The event, which started at the four corners intersection on Queen Elizabeth Way, lasted for about 90 minutes. At the museum, the Inuksuk drummers and dancers performed and there were speeches to mark the day.

During an open mic, one student recited poetry and several women spoke of the importance of not remaining isolated from the community.

“Never stop gathering and keep sharing your voices,” said Taylor McNulty, a mental health worker, near the close of the event.

The Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council reports Nunavut has the highest rate of gender-based violence reported by women in Canada, and women in Nunavut are the victims of violent crime, including sexual assault, at a rate 12 to 13 times higher than women in Canada as a whole.

Margaret Nakashuk, Nunavut’s minister responsible for Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council, told the crowd: “Now more than ever, we must work hard to ensure that girls, women and gender-diverse people are safe and able to live secure lives in Canada.”

Similar events were held across Canada to commemorate the events of Dec. 6, 1989, when a heavily armed man entered École Polytechnique in Montreal, killed 14 female students and staff and injured 14 others.

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(25) Comments:

  1. Posted by 867 on

    “Indigenous women are 7x more likely to face violence than non-indigenous women.”

    But then when indigenous men are incarcerated at a rate that is 7x higher than non-indigenous men it is an outrage. Direct causation.

    Stop the violence. It takes a village.

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    • Posted by She’s not Wrong on

      She’s right, the causes of this indigenous on indigenous violence need to be understood and addressed.

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    • Posted by Words Matter on

      “Indigenous women are 7x more likely to face violence than non-Indigenous women”.

      That is true. It is also true that Indigenous men are 7x more likely to be murdered than non-Indigenous men. It is also true that Indigenous men are almost 3 times as likely to be murdered than Indigenous women, and that Indigenous men are over 6 times as likely to be murdered by a stranger than Indigenous women.

      I really think we need to examine the term “gender-based violence”, as it is highly overused. Most of what is talked about it domestic violence (or intimate partner violence), not gender-based violence. Does domestic violence disproportionately affect women? Yes, but that does not make it gender-based. When a man assaults his female intimate partner, people refer to it as gender-based. If a woman assaults her male intimate partner, do we refer to it as gender-based violence? I’ve never seen that reference.

      What about when domestic violence is committed in same-sex relationships? Does that count as gender-based violence? People often talk about how men need to change as perpetrators of gender-based violence, but why then is it that women in same-sex relationships seem to be victims of domestic violence at rates significantly higher than men in same-sex relationships? The discussion needs to be had as a whole, about ending domestic (intimate partner) violence, because presenting it the way it has been and still is being presented is irresponsible.

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      • Posted by Woka Cola on

        In the long litany of progressive distortions infecting our language Gender Based Violence means to suggest violence inflicted on another BECAUSE of gender. In this particular cosmos that predominantly happens when men assault women.

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  2. Posted by S on

    “Never stop gathering and keep sharing your voices,” said Taylor McNulty, a mental health worker…”

    WHAT is a ‘mental health worker’?

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  3. Posted by S on

    Who is perpetrating these violent crimes against indigenous women? Is it other indigenous women (mothers, daugthers, other relatives, community members, co-workers, non-indigenous women); non-indigenous men; indigenous men (spouses, immediate family members, other relatives, community members, co-workers)? Who?
    There are other questions to be answered, IF indigenous women and society-at-large are sincere about achieving an honest reckoning. If not, be dishonest

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    • Posted by men on

      The majority of the time it is indigenous men committing these crimes against indigenous woman..

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      • Posted by Putting this out there on

        One thing that might help stop this is people should not leave one abusive person for another (happens way to often). We as a community need to support those that are trying to get away from abusive relationships.
        Also as a community we should be holding the abusers responsible. is taking away their hunting and hockey playing might not be the right thing (they need something to try heal from their own pains as well), but not honor them. they are not allowed to be part of the celebrations, people in town need to not hold them as leaders. they are not leaders they are Cowards.
        There are great hunters and hockey players that do no beat their spouse, hold them up.

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  4. Posted by judges failing the people on

    While working in corrections in Nunavut for many years it was quite troubling watching cycle of abuse and the failure of adequate sentences for abusers. I watched many times over the years. A man would come in on charges of domestic violence against his girlfriend/wife and children. Each time the man gets a slap on the wrist for a sentence and the abuse grows more intense.

    The first time the man is likely released within a day or two and sent straight back to his home community to live with his victim. It happens again and he might get sentenced to a week this time.

    It happens again and again until he really hurts her, broken bones, disfigurement, rape etc.. The judge releases the abuser over and over never getting more than a few months. This goes on for a few years and then we end up getting the abuser in for murdering his girlfriend. It is usually downgraded to manslaughter and he will likely only do 7-10 years and then he is back out again to repeat the cycle.

    I watched this happen dozens of times. The judges are never held accountable for allowing this cycle of violence to continue on in perpetuity. People blame the police or the prison systems or this or that but there is only so much they can do if the judge fails to value the lives of the victims and continually falls for the abuser’s sob story about how they had a rough life and back out they go.

    Where is the concern for the victim?! Why aren’t the judges held accountable for letting all these women get murdered year after year after year…

    Truly heartbreaking and a massive injustice. If you want to make a difference target the sentencing practices of the judges. These people are allowing this cycle to continue on forever.

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    • Posted by 867 on

      Unpopular opinion but the Gladue Principle fails indigenous women over and over and over again. Violent crimes towards women deserve real punishment not slaps on wrists.

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      • Posted by S on

        Thanks, 867; I appreciate all your posts

        It is not enough to say “Violent crimes towards women deserve real punishment not slaps on wrists.”

        That message – to a boy, a teenager, a young man, a middle-aged man, an old man – says suck it up, unless you are a woman. Not to suggest your intent, but the ‘message’ is indicative of the rot in our society

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    • Posted by Inquiring Mind on

      @ judges failing the people

      You state “The first time the man is likely released within a day or two and sent straight back to his home community….”

      Seems a little iffy, this comment, since we see many accused/convicted left in the larger Inuit communities and NOT sent back to their home towns.

      This then causes a “build-up of suspects/criminals” in the larger communities, thus depleting what little resources the larger communities have to deal with their own local issues. It also causes more criminal activity in the larger communities.

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      • Posted by on

        when an inmate is released, whether it be Iqaluit or Rankin Inlet, the inmate has the choice to be flown back to their home community or stay. a lot of times, they choose to stay.

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      • Posted by judges failing the people on

        Yes, usually the first few times the abuser is allowed back into their home community until they burn all of their bridges and are essentially disowned by their family entirely. Then they are all dumped in Iqaluit where we are basically the only place with homeless shelters.. Increasing the problems in this community even more..

  5. Posted by Karl on

    It would be great to have the same for indigenous men, did you know men go missing or killed too and it’s actually higher in Canada than any other group,
    It would be great to include everyone and not just one group.
    If we really want to make changes and improve things we need to include everyone.

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    • Posted by Colin on

      I find it interesting there are some that do not agree with being inclusive. I agree everyone Male or female should be included. What’s wrong with that?

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    • Posted by shut up on

      If you truly cared for men’s issues such as what you bring up then people like you wouldn’t only bring it up whenever women’s issues are ever talked about

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      • Posted by Colin on

        When we do bring it up we are usually told to shut up, when we try to bring it up we don’t have a platform.
        Anything to do with men it’s put down and some women will be very vulgar and disrespectful, such as telling men to shut up or youre not important enough.
        With so many indigenous men going missing each year, so many men getting hurt each year, men also get abused.
        But we all forget this or worse pretend it’s not real and brush it away.
        It’s just as serious and by not being inclusive as a whole you will not see any improvements at all, maybe for a little bit and for one group but because you fail to see how important it is to include all victims it just addresses one group and not everyone.
        I really do not understand why so much attention can be given to one but not the other?
        Haven’t we learned from the past wrongs? And why are we still doing this today?
        You can see some of the comments here, two wrongs don’t make it right.

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    • Posted by @ Karl on

      Agreed it goes both ways, men would need help too however as someone wrote, bringing it up at the topic of Indigenous women being abused isn’t it. There’s a time and a place. The “what aboutism” doesn’t help both topics of discussion, because they both deserves its own platform with specific points and context. Also historically, women are more disproportionate when it comes to abuse. Again, men too but each should have its own discussion and plateform. It doesn’t help to steer away from the topic.

      I believe everyone would be supportive in men getting help, if men want to start, all the power to you 🙌

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      • Posted by Karl on

        Great points, it without a platform and no political support for men to have the same platform our voices do not get heard.
        We have the highest suicide rates in the world majority of them being men, highest incarceration rates, indigenous men go missing and murdered more than anyone else, yet we do not address this.
        It’s obvious something is greatly wrong here when we choose to ignore one over the other.
        If we truly want to make changes to improve this we have to include everyone.
        We have to work together. With no platform and really no support to create one where do we go?

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  6. Posted by Two Words on

    Gladue principle

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  7. Posted by Putting this out there on

    In court if you use that you were abused as a defense you should have to publicly name the abuser in court. Perhaps even if that one person cant get charges against the other person for some reason I bet the same few names would start popping up.
    And if the person in being charged does not want to name their abuser (They forgave them) then they need to be fully held accountable so the person they harmed can hopefully begin the healing process.

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  8. Posted by on

    good idea, but why mention it here, or on any comment section? you should be voicing this to the Department of Justice or your MLA.
    i doubt they read comment sections and say “hey! that’s a good idea, let’s do that”

  9. Posted by & colin on

    Because it’s specifically a women’s council, specific to women . Just as there are youth councils, elders council etc. the topic at hand, is literally from the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council.

  10. Posted by Colin on

    So by not including men it’s ok to address the issues about men and to try and address the issues for women that affect both sides will work?
    Is there a Nunavut status or men’s council? If not can we have a Nunavut status of indigenous council too?
    I think it is more important to work together to help move forward and to address the issues together.
    One side dictating what has to be done will not work. It never does. Past history has shown this.

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