An RCMP report has put forth a shocking disproportionate number of female aboriginals being victims of violent deaths as compared to non-natives. The report also mentions that police have solved cases involving both groups at almost a similar rate.
Aboriginal women represent 4.3 per cent of the total Canadian female population, and yet 16 per cent of all female homicide victims have been aboriginals in the period studied by RCMP.
"The total indicates that aboriginal women are over-represented among Canada's murdered and missing women," the report says.
Moreover, the findings also suggest that while the report looked specifically at murders and disappearances, aboriginal women are far more likely to be victims of many forms of violence than non-aboriginal women.
"We still have a lot of unanswered questions... but I think this research project, this operational overview, is an excellent first step in that direction from a policing community," said Janice Armstrong, RCMP's deputy commissioner for contact and aboriginal policing, at a news conference.
The report adds that aboriginal women are more likely to be murdered by an acquaintance and are less likely to be killed by a spouse.
Further the RCMP also says that murdered aboriginal women were more likely to be unemployed, have a criminal record and have consumed intoxicants just before their death (63 per cent versus 20 per cent).
The findings were stated in the RCMP study titled 'Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women: a National Operational Overview' which was released in Winnipeg on Friday.
