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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

First Nations focus on violence prevention

By: Alexandra Paul

Posted: 02/3/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

THE call from police to the woman's shelter was about a woman in a domestic dispute: "Can I bring her in? She hasn't been beaten up, yet."

The way the officer said "yet" made the worker on duty pause, and Sheila Swasson said Wednesday in Winnipeg it's a memory she'll never forget.

As an advocate against family violence and the current president of a national organization for 40 First Nations women's shelters, Swasson tells this story about her home at Listuguj, a Mi'kmaq First Nation in Restigouche, Que., to explain the way First Nations are tackling family violence.

"That lit up this huge light for us. Do we as family-violence workers believe family violence has to be physical in nature?" Swasson said.

Now the message on First Nations is to use community services and family support to break the cycle, in addition to shelters for women when they need refuge.

A 2011 Statistics Canada study said the rate of women who were victims of violence is triple that for aboriginal women compared to other Canadian women. That includes all forms of violence including crime.

It's a powerful motivator for family-violence workers, 100 of who came to Winnipeg this week for three days of training forums.

Winnipeg holds special symbolism for workers at aboriginal women's shelters, because this is where their national network was formed in 1999. The National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence was established at the University of Winnipeg, Swasson said.

Canada's First Nations are plagued with soaring rates of social problems and poverty, but the long-term solution has to include better-developed recreation, cultural and community services, she said.

At Swasson's home community, men are encouraged to call for help before they react with violence. Family services organize trips out into the bush and host other activities to promote positive community ties.

"In our communities, right now, it (the focus) is on family services. It's prevention, before it escalates into a crisis situation," Swasson said.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 3, 2012 B2

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