Family violence; how to prevent and break free?

Session Nr.1: "Healing through the voices of our girls – Addressing Indigenous youth violence through community driven research"

The Yoowinna Wurnalung Healing Service (YWHS) is an Indigenous healing service in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. In 2014 YWHS partnered with Indigenous researchers within the Indigenous Health Equity Unit at the University of Melbourne to undertake the “Tidda’s Count to Ten” project, which is concerned with the increasing incidents of aggressive and violent behaviour in young Aboriginal girls in the region. ‘Tidda’ is an Aboriginal-English word meaning sister, or female friend.

‘Tidda’s Count to Ten’ is using qualitative data to inform the design and development of a culturally appropriate model of family and community support for violence prevention. The first part of the research included interviews with Government representatives from human services, education and justice, and with Aboriginal community-controlled health organization staff, and a service mapping exercise in the region. This was followed by interviews and focus groups with Aboriginal families of girls identified as being perpetrators of violence, and the girls themselves.

This presentation covers the key findings from these activities, with a focus on the importance of taking an Indigenous community-driven strength based approach to research and recommendations. The findings about how and why the girls are getting into trouble around violence are surprising, and pose interesting questions about the ways forward. The next phase of the project will include the development of a model for trial in the region. 

Session Nr.2: "Efforts against violence addressed Sámi women – A social and power shift"

After the UN:s critic regarding the absence of actions to stop violence against Sámi women, the Swedish government in 2007 adopted a plan regarding men’s violence against women, especially focused on the special needs that women in "minority" groups may have. For example, Sámi women do not turn to Swedish women’s shelters for support in the first place. However, Sámi women’s rights as "indigenous" people are not considered. This plan is now under revision, and not yet finished.

In a study, I examine violence addressed at Sámi women, at various levels in Sámi society. The findings showed for example, that in developing measures and services a social and power shift is appropriate, recognizing Sámi women’s rights as indigenous. Such rights are, for example, the right to speak for themselves. This is a basic human right, however not obvious in issues on Sámi women’s rights. The study also suggests efforts against such violence. This study draws on Qualitative interviews with Sámi women and men, and privileges as much as possible the informants’ own words. Appropriate ethical guidelines for indigenous research are followed, and the study is approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board at Umeå university. In particular, I use a decolonizing theoretical framework, that also helps me to examine resilience among Sami women and children in northern Europe with regard to cultural context.

Session Nr.3: "Cree Approach to assisting women to break free from violence"

The Ermineskin Women’s Shelter Society (EWSS) has been providing emergency shelter for women and their children escaping family violence since 2000. The shelter is a safe place for clients to be secure and to prepare a new life. Services include Outreach support, counselling, assistance to appointments, educational workshops, grief recovery, and cultural programming such as a smudge room, healing circles, tipi teachings, and cultural camps. The shelter has had many social work practicum students and each student has left with knowledge of how the shelter helps women. Tracey and I have been both practicum students and employees and have seen the challenges of providing services with limited resources that are not comparable to shelters that are situated in urban centres. This presentation will discuss the role of the women’s shelter within the community, the challenges and successes. Within Alberta, Canada, EWSS has joined forces with other First Nations Women’s Shelters to advocate on their behalf to acknowledge that they need to address the complex and wide-spread problem of Family Violence. We will discuss the implications of funding issues that have not been addressed by the Federal Government since 2010. However, regardless of the issues, the EWSS remains a leader in providing holistic supports and empowering women to reach their goal of living abuse free.