Aboriginal Patriarchy

In conjunction with the real material consequences of abuse within residential schools, the forceful teachings of patriarchy have created perpetual cycle of abuse within the Indigenous community today. Aboriginal women, the center of this victimization face abusive relationships and households on an every day basis. According to “Racism, Sexism, and Colonialism: The Impact on the Health of Aboriginal Women in Canada” eight out of ten Aboriginal women reported victimization by physical, sexual, psychological, or ritual abuse (Bourassa, McNabb & Hampton, 2005). This rate is twice as high as that reported by non-Aboriginal women (Bourassa, McNabb & Hampton, 2005). Within a family structure, this traumatic intimate partner violence also tends to
Aboriginal women, the center of this victimization face abusive relationships and households on an every day basis. According to “Racism, Sexism, and Colonialism: The Impact on the Health of Aboriginal Women in Canada” eight out of ten Aboriginal women reported victimization by physical, sexual, psychological, or ritual abuse (Bourassa, McNabb & Hampton, 2005). This rate is twice as high as that reported by non-Aboriginal women (Bourassa, McNabb & Hampton, 2005). Within a family structure, this traumatic intimate partner violence also tends to escalate when factoring in the epidemic of substance abuse within indigenous communities. In pursuit of economically exploiting aboriginal communities, European settlers also introduced drugs and alcohol to indigenous communities. Essentially, the goal was to paralyze the community, so there would be minimal resistance or no form conscious awareness of the exploitative activity-taking place. Often times these drugs and alcohol later fostered a dependency within indigenous communities, as a result of the abuse and trauma caused by residential schools,. This dependency usually surrounded the attempt to alleviate the pains experienced and inflicted upon victims of residential schooling. Today, within families, this dependency tends to
This familial stricture was largely the basis for economic, social and political relations and made for the smooth functioning of society. With colonialism, this traditional structure was completely deconstructed through the introduction of a violent and destructive patriarchy. Though the indigenous community suffers collectively due the affects of colonialism, the Aboriginal women today face the most subordinating intersections. Continuing to be re-victimized by this patriarchy, aboriginal women often endure initiate partner violence, where the Aboriginal man physically, sexually and emotionally abuses them. When factoring in epidemics such as poverty and substance abuse within the community, this abuse for women only escalates, creating an increasingly dangerous environment. Despite the erasure of the Aboriginal community and colonialism from Canadian history, it crucial to recognize the continuing affects of European settlement within contemporary times. In essence, without European invasion, indigenous communities in Canada would not face intergenerational toxic familial structures that only drive the further downward social mobility of the community as a