Violence Against Indigenous Women

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The epidemic of violence against Indigenous women is the result of European colonization. The intersectionality of racism and sexism that so heavily fuels the stereotyping and dehumanization of Indigenous women is caused by systems of marginalization and assimilative policy instilled by colonizers to create unequal balances of power. Before the introduction of patriarchy to systems of government and society by European colonizers, the views of women within Indigenous cultures were of strength and teaching. Women held positions of power in government, could own property, and had the right to end marriages. In addition to this, some Indigenous cultures traced family lines matrilineally. Indigenous women were also central to the family and to teaching the ways of the land to the next …show more content…
With the lack of strong legal representation and support, their perceived disposability was intensified because rights in law reflect values of society. This disposability has remained as an internalized part of government and especially society, ultimately causing disproportionate rates of violence against Indigenous women and little ensuing action. The differences between the treatment of Indigenous women in society and law between pre-colonization and at the start of colonization show that European settlement in Canada introduced these unequal balances of power and privilege. With the start of racism and sexism in Canada, the intersectional marginalization of Indigenous women also began. This oppression is reliant on disempowerment and dehumanization, and ultimately is the root cause of the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls because it causes government and society to perpetuate and distance themselves from the problem. Therefore, the underlying source of this issue is the process of European colonization and its patriarchal and assimilative