On the Edge Between Two Worlds

ON THE EDGE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S ADVOCATE 2016 2 ON THE EDGE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S ADVOCATE 2016 On the Edge Between Two Worlds: Community Narratives on the Vulnerability of Marginalized Indigenous Girls The Office of the Children’s Advocate Manitoba 2016 Prepared by: Dr. [...] We created thirteen questions about the experiences of indigenous girls and went to community members to ask them to share their wisdom and learning with us on what is happening, and what is needed to repair relationships and build up young women so they can once again become the anchors and 7 ON THE EDGE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S ADVOCATE 2016 influencers of a healthy and healed [...] Although these cases of murder and disappearance represent the extreme end of a continuum of violence, the evidence lead the authors of the Amnesty International report to conclude that there are myriad oppressive forces – or intersecting sites of violence – that culminate to create untenable living conditions for the majority of Indigenous women and girls in Canada today. [...] Participants were asked to formally consent to being interviewed for this report prior to the start of the interview, however, a number of the Elders interviewed provided verbal instead of written consent and the researcher was reminded that “that’s the way it is with our people.” Copies of the interview questions were made available in advance as much as where possible. [...] Historical catalysts to the current problem of violence against Indigenous women includes social policy and the imposition of value systems through the Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the list of racist and sexist legislation is long and continues to grow, but the Indian Act (1876) is certainly the most harmful legislation still in effect today which continues to oppress Indigenous wom