A new report from the RCMP says there is a strong link between missing and murdered indigenous women and family violence.
According to the report, data from 2013 and 2014 showed that in 100% of solved murder cases of aboriginal women, the offenders were "known" to their victim. For non-indigenous victims, that number is 93%.
"Female victims, regardless of ethnicity, are most frequently killed by men within their own homes and communities," the report stated.
The report is an update to the one released last year by the RCMP that identified more than 1,000 cases of missing and murdered indigenous women between 1980 and 2012.
"Missing and murdered Aboriginal women continue to be overrepresented given their percentage of the Canadian population," the new report noted.
Other findings include:
- As of April 15, there were 174 cases of missing indigenous women — 10% of the women reporting missing to the Canadian Police Information Centre — across all police jurisdictions in Canada.
- Eleven more indigenous women have gone missing since the 2014 overview was conducted.
- In 2013 and 2014, 32 indigenous women were killed within RCMP jurisdictions, a number that is proportionately "consistent with levels of the past decade."
- There was a 9.3% reduction in the number of unsolved murders and "suspicious" missing person cases from the 2014 overview (225 cases to 204 cases).
Indigenous leaders and journalists had questions about the report and its findings, such as what "known" entails.
Reporter: Is a john considered an acquaintance? RCMP: Yes. I'm paraphrasing here.
At the Friday press conference, RCMP were asked if "known to the victim" includes the clients of sex workers — and apparently the answer is yes.
They also asked why the report was released on a Friday afternoon.
Why is the @rcmpgrcpolice releasing a very important #MMIW Report on late Friday afternoon. #cndpoli #onpoli #Canada
The report was originally set to be released on Wednesday, APTN reported, but it was pushed back to Friday at 2 p.m.
Some asked if by highlighting a link to family violence, the RCMP were implying these cases represent an "Aboriginal problem."
@NigelNewlove asks RCMP if they are saying this is an Aboriginal problem and what more will they do besides a poster campaign.
The RCMP responded that this is a societal issue and a shared responsibility.
Past statements from Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Bernard Valcourt, however, have suggested a different perspective.
Earlier this year, Valcourt came under fire when he said up to 70% of aboriginal women who were murdered were killed by aboriginal men — a number the RCMP said is true of solved cases.
In May Valcourt said First Nations children are "first and foremost the responsibility of their parents" when asked about high youth suicide rate on reserves.
The biggest unanswered question from Aboriginal groups is whether Canada will hold an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women. That was the subject of a protest at roughly the same time the RCMP report was being delivered.
Group is planning to stay on the highway at least until they've handed out 1,181 flyers.
APTN reported a group blocked cars Friday on the Trans Canada highway at the Ontario-Manitoba border.
They handed out flyers calling for an inquiry to passing motorists with a goal of distributing at least 1,181 of them — one for every missing and murdered indigenous women identified by the RCMP in the 2014 report.