National Indigenous History Month
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada. It is a time to honour the heritage, resilience, and diverse cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Turtle Island. It is also a time to shine a light on ongoing systemic inequities and the impacts of gender-based violence.
Indigenous women experience disproportionately high rates of violence in Canada. More than 60% have experienced physical or sexual assault since the age of 15, compared to 45% of non-Indigenous women. Rates of intimate partner violence are especially high among First Nations, Metis, and Inuit women, with many also facing severe forms of abuse, including psychological, financial, and life-threatening violence. The impacts are even more pronounced for 2SLGBTQI+ Indigenous women, the vast majority of whom report experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Despite representing only about 5% of the female population in Canada, Indigenous women account for roughly one quarter of women killed by an intimate partner, with homicide estimated to be 6 to 8 times higher than that of non-Indigenous women.
Luke’s Place recently conducted critical community-engaged research in collaboration with Dr. Mavis Morton, University of Guelph, examining the access to justice issues diverse women and 2SLGBTQIA+ victim-survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) face within the Ontario family law system.”
Community-engaged research
The following are the barriers faced by Indigenous groups:
- Lack of available, accessible, and adequate support of services and resources: Limited, culturally responsive counselling, childcare, and trauma supports especially for specific Indigenous groups (Inuit, First Nations, and Métis), people with disabilities, and those in northern, rural, or remote communities, along with restricted hours, strict income eligibility, scarce shelter beds and affordable housing, inadequate safety supports for pets (including farm animals), and limited access to secure technology leave many victim-survivors without essential help.
- Lack of culturally informed services for Indigenous and Inuit victim-survivors: Limited services delivered by outsiders and system-wide gaps in IPV trauma- and culturally informed training, compounded by high staff turnover and inexperience, leave Indigenous victim-survivors without safe or effective support. A lack of practical training on Inuit realities, including the risks and retraumatizing effects of virtual or phone-based services, further undermines safe access to the family law system.
These barriers highlight significant gaps in both the availability and cultural responsiveness of supports for Indigenous victim-survivors of intimate partner violence. Limited access to safe, affordable, and appropriate services, particularly in rural, remote, and northern communities, combined with systemic constraints such as strict eligibility requirements and insufficient shelter and housing options, continues to leave many without the support they need. These challenges are further compounded by gaps in culturally informed care, which can undermine safety, trust, and access to the family law system.
National Indigenous History Month is an opportunity not only to celebrate the cultures, histories, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, but also to confront the systemic inequities that continue to place Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQIA+ people at heightened risk of violence. Addressing these inequities requires more than awareness; it requires action, accountability, and sustained commitment to culturally informed supports and legal systems that are safe, accessible, and responsive to Indigenous communities.
Read the executive summary to learn more about the barriers victim-survivors face and the changes needed to improve access to justice.