This Friday, June 21 is National Aboriginal Day. Across Canada Native communities are celebrating and sharing their culture.

There are events going on across the country: National Aboriginal Day Events

Not just a time of celebration--today is also time for reflection, advocacy and protest:

• In Ottawa, First Nation's Groups are gearing up to march on Parliament Hill as a kickoff to the "Sovereignty Summer" a Idle No More spin-off movement that hopes to increase pressure on the Harper Government.

• In Waterloo, National Aboriginal Day is being marked by the opening of the Mino-kummik Aboriginal Community Garden. A community garden that hopes to educate and engage people.

• Yesterday, the city of Vancouver launched it`s "Year of Reconciliation" to raise awareness and appreciation for the aboriginal community. 
• In Sydney Nova Scotia, today marks the beginning of Tears4Justice trek across the country to bring awareness of missing and murdered Aboriginal women of our nation.

According to the Report on Equality Rights of Aboriginal People, a recent study released by the Canadian Human Rights Commission, aboriginal peoples, especially women, are still facing adversity in their every day lives. The report is based on Statistics Canada data collected between 2005 and 2010. Here are some interesting highlights:

• Aboriginal adults are more likely to report feeling unsafe walking alone after dark compared to non-Aboriginal adults. The proportion of Aboriginal women who reported feeling uncomfortable is 8.3% higher than their male counterparts. (2009)

• Assaults reported by victimized adults aged 15+. Between victimized Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women the proportion of reported assault by victimized Aboriginal women is 5.5% higher. (2009)

• Regardless of sex, there is a higher proportion of hate crime reported by victimized Aboriginal adults compared to victimized non-Aboriginal adults.

• Reports of physical and sexual violence by a spouse/partner is 2.5% higher than that of non-Aboriginal adults.
• Overall, a much higher proportion of Aboriginal adults are in persistent low-income status than non-Aboriginal adults. Furthermore, a higher proportion of women experienced persistent low-income than men regardless of their Aboriginal status. 

To read the full report click here

The celebration of Aboriginal Day rehashes the debate about the status of Aborigines in Canada, and what must be done to further the human rights of Native Women within our community. 

If you are looking for aboriginal women's resources, or further reading our resource section is filled with material that is useful and informative.

Since this blog post falls on a Friday, we have also compiled a selection of movies, and short documentaries you can enjoy in celebration of National Aboriginal Day:

 Finding Dawn by Christine Welsh, National Film Board of Canada
Acclaimed Métis filmmaker Christine Welsh presents a compelling documentary that puts a human face on a national tragedy: the murders and disappearances of an estimated 500 Aboriginal women in Canada over the past 30 years. This is a journey into the dark heart of Native women's experience in Canada. From Vancouver's Skid Row to the Highway of Tears in northern British Columbia, to Saskatoon, this film honours those who have passed and uncovers reasons for hope. Finding Dawnillustrates the deep historical, social and economic factors that contribute to the epidemic of violence against Native women in this country.

For Angela by Nancy Trites Botkin & by Daniel Prouty, National Film Board of Canada
This short film portrays the experiences of Rhonda Gordon and her daughter, Angela, when a simple bus ride changes their lives in an unforeseeable way. When they are harassed by three boys, Rhonda finds the courage to take a unique and powerful stance against ignorance and prejudice. What ensues is a dramatic story of racism and empowerment.

Is the Crown at war with us? by Alanis Obomsawin, National Film Board of Canada

In the summer of 2000, federal fishery officers appeared to wage war on the Mi'gmaq fishermen of Burnt Church, New Brunswick. Why would officials of the Canadian government attack citizens for exercising rights that had been affirmed by the highest court in the land? Alanis Obomsawin casts her nets into history to provide a context for the events on Miramichi Bay.

 

Kanehsatake 270 Years of Resistance by Alanis Obomsawin, National Film Board of Canada

On a July day in 1990, a confrontation propelled Native issues in Kanehsatake and the village of Oka, Quebec, into the international spotlight. Director Alanis Obomsawin spent 78 nerve-wracking days and nights filming the armed stand-off between the Mohawks, the Quebec police and the Canadian army. This powerful documentary takes you right into the action of an age-old Aboriginal struggle. The result is a portrait of the people behind the barricades.

Treatment recommendations for Aboriginal mothers with substance use issues

Women with substance use issues who are pregnant or parenting have needs that are not being met by traditional addiction services. Aboriginal mothers are up against even more challenges. In Canada, Aboriginal women face disproportional rates of poverty, discrimination, harassment, violence, inadequate housing, mental health issues, loss of child custody, and difficulty in accessing appropriate treatment.

Researchers reviewed the evidence on integrated and Aboriginal treatment programs. They found that many of the programs for Aboriginal women are not culturally-sensitive, are not gender specific, require women to travel far away to get treatment so they end up relapsing when they return home, and don’t offer enough aftercare.

EENet is pleased to feature a Research Snapshot on the article, “Treatment Issues for Aboriginal Mothers with Substance Use Problems and Their Children,” by Alison Niccols, Colleen Anne Dell, and Sharon Clarke. The article appeared in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, vol. 8 (2010).

Research Snapshots are brief, clear language summaries of research articles, presented in a user-friendly format.

FULL VERSION: Download 

CATEGORIES: Aboriginal , Addiction / Substance Use Problem , Treatment, Supports, and Services ,Women

SOURCE: Alison Niccols

Birth control – whose choice?

Spring Talks Sex blog by Lyba Spring

Ask a woman if she is using birth control and she will likely tell you whether or not she is taking “the pill.” For most women, they are synonymous. Often, she’ll ask her doctor to “put” her on the birth control pill, which conjures the image of a five-minute consultation, prescription pad at the ready. Do the words “informed consent” have any real meaning when it comes to birth control?

Women who need birth control are likely to change methods several times during their reproductive years depending on their age, health status, income, partner(s) and number of children. Knowing those circumstances is key to assisting a woman in finding the method that suits her at that particular time in her life. While health-care providers may have prejudices and biases regarding certain methods, the operative word should always be “choice”: hers.

Oral contraceptives (the pill) are clearly the method of choice for most health practitioners because of the effectiveness when used as prescribed. The copper IUD (intrauterine device) is nearly as effective; but it is only recently that health-care providers changed their prescribing practices due to its updated safety record, resulting in increased use, including for women who have never been pregnant. The cheaper, non hormonal IUD is often overlooked by health-care providers in favour of the Mirena Intra Uterine System (IUS), an IUD that releases a progestin. It was originally designed to help women with very heavy bleeding, but it soon became commonly prescribed, possibly due to aggressive marketing. A woman on social assistance in some provinces, like Ontario, is more likely to use Mirena than the copper IUD, even if she prefers a non-hormonal method, because she has to pay for the copper IUD whereas Mirena is covered by the government. This is illogical and wasteful, as the Mirena actually costs about four times more than the IUD (when obtained in publicly funded clinics); it is usually more expensive when inserted by a family doctor.

A woman who wants to use a combined hormonal method, but does not want to take a daily pill may opt for the patch or vaginal ring. The patch has a higher dose of hormones; the vaginal ring uses a “third generation” progestin (see below). Her remaining hormonal option is Depo Provera, a method that should include comprehensive counselling about potential side effects.

Otherwise, she can use condoms (male or female), withdrawal, Natural Family Planning or a combination. She is unlikely to find a clinic that still carries the diaphragm or the gel that accompanies it.

Teaching a woman the basics of her menstrual cycle—in particular, recognizing fertile mucus with a view to charting her fertile days—is a fundamental strategy in educating women about their bodies. There’s even an app for that. If she wants to use this knowledge to prevent pregnancy, she can use the Standard Days Method.

Understanding fertility can also increase the effectiveness of a method like withdrawal, which has a “perfect use” effectiveness rate of 96 per cent. Granted, with typical use, it drops to 73 per cent. If there’s a slip-up, she can take emergency contraceptive pills (or use a post-coital IUD). Although Plan B does not have a consistently high effectiveness rate, its availability over the counter has increased access. 

With regard to hormonal methods, there are safety issues which may not be raised by health-care providers.

Women who were already taking pills often wanted to buy them more cheaply from the sexual health clinic where I worked. Some had been prescribed Diane-35 by their doctor. This medication, which is  only approved for short-term use to treat serious acne and hirsutism, also has contraceptive properties. Pharmaceutical companies highlighted the latter application to doctors. So, although it has never been approved as a contraceptive, it is prescribed “off-label” as birth control. When women asked me about Diane-35, I directed them to the Health Canada website and warning because women using Diane-35 as birth control are likely not aware that its use as a contraceptive is off-label. Diane-35 is no longer prescribed in France because of four thrombosis related deaths, and Health Canada recently reminded prescribers ”that Diane-35 should not be used as an oral contraceptive."

Third and fourth generation birth control pills contain progestins that are associated with a higher risk of blood clots. The brand name drugs Yasmin and Yaz are currently named in lawsuits because of safety issues with the progestin, drospirenone. The vaginal ring uses a third generation progestin, desogesterel. Is there any discussion of that fact before a woman receives her prescription? Mea culpa: I never mentioned it.

Continuous oral contraceptives were first marketed to women by asking them if they wanted to have fewer periods, presumably with the intention of “liberating” them from this bodily function. Many women did switch to continuous oral contraceptives; however, I am unaware of any research into potential long-term consequences (for example to their breast health) of an increase in estrogen over the long term.

Health-care providers are charged with giving patients clear and up-to-date information so that they can make informed choices. Patients must demand nothing less.

Talk to me: springtalks1@gmail.com

Source: http://www.cwhn.ca/en/node/45993

Sexual Harassment Awareness Week: harassment out in the open

This week we learned a lot about sexual harassment at work, at school and on our streets. Together we have given women a voice to tell their stories of harassment and to reflect on these stories.

Too often we let things slide, we are silent in the face of harassment; too embarrassed, filled with guilt and frightened to speak up. We keep the stories to ourselves and justify the silence with simple catch-all phrases that we have heard repeated throughout our lives: “It’s not a big deal,” or “It’s normal, just learn to live with it,” or even “You should have expected that.”

What else can you do?

The first step is often to talk to someone that you trust like a friend, co-worker or your parent. Being harassed is something that you shouldn't keep to yourself.

Recently, people have been taking to twitter and other social media to tell their stories: 

I was having an okay day.
It’s Sunday, and I didn't have a lot that was required of me today, except to drop my bike off to be painted. So I relaxed, had a slice of apple pie with my breakfast. Talked to Captain on the phone for an hour. I lazily had a shower and got ready, it was so gorgeous outside, I put on shorts and a tank top. I took this picture of myself before I left.

I hopped on my bike and went on my way to take it to it’s destination, where my dad was going to meet me to help and then take me home.
On my way, which was probably a mere 15 minute ride, I came across two young men, 20-25, approaching from the opposite direction. One was riding the bike and the one was sitting on the handlebars. As we got closer I steered extremely to the right to leave room for them to pass. When they neared me they started jeering.
“Hey baby” the one on the handlebars said, making lewd masturbatory movements and licking his lips. “Nice ass!” yelled the other.
I said nothing. I was Emma Frost. My face stayed expressionless and we passed each other.
“Are you fucking kidding me?? Bitch!” I heard from behind me. I flipped them the bird with my face still looking ahead, focused on my mission. I was coming up to a busy street. “Stop! Turn this around” I heard. I looked behind me. They were turning their bike around to follow me.
“Get the fuck back here!!”
I biked. I biked faster than I ever have in my entire life. And after a block they stopped following me.
When I arrived my dad looked at me for only a moment before asking “What’s wrong?? Are you okay?” I immediately burst into tears and told him. “Do you want me to go look for them?”
“No, I want to go home.” I choked.
I was having an okay day.
I was. 

--Angelina, or ALB from http://albinwonderland.tumblr.com

Talking to someone will help you determine what your next course of action will be.

Situations like online bullying/harassment and street harassment are a little harder to deal with, as they don't fall under the institutions of school or work, where measures are taken to ensure harassment is dealt with.

Cyber bullying can take it's toll, and can be very dangerous. Perpetrators often have more confidence, and are not afraid to throw insults and lewd comments over the net because they feel they are protected by anonymity.

The best thing to do if you find yourself being bullied online is to take screen shots, and record any possible information you can about the person harassing you. If you are being threatened, or are fearful for your life contact your local authorities and present them with the evidence you have gathered.

You can also check out this Canadian resource for "cyber stalking" where you can find information on what to do to protect yourself from cyber bullies.

Empowerment & finding our voice:

Being able to talk about sexual harassment, and addressing the issue head on is a form of empowerment. Sexism and sexual harassment are still prevalent in our society. Even though the definition of sexual harassment is clear, it still happens on a daily basis to girls and women around the world.

Check out these resources and projects that are helping women everywhere find their voices and become empowered through addressing sexual harassment.

The everyday sexism project, an increasingly popular campaign out of the UK put out this video yesterday:



On their twitter feed, and their website you can read stories from victims of sexual harassment. The project hopes that addressing these stories will re-open discussions about sexism and sexual harassment, which are still prominent in our everyday lives.

The Ontario Women's Directorate has a great resource on sexual harassment. This site has information on your rights, what to do if you are being harassed, a section on online bullying and more.

UFCW Canada has a Sexual Harassment Reference and Rights

Vancouver Rape Relief & Women's Shelter have a Sexual Harassment fact sheet that outlines the definition of sexual harassment, why it happens, what the consequences are and more.

All Women's Action Society is hosting Sexual Harassment OUT (SHout) Campaign. The SHout Campaign is a national campaign focused on ending sexual harassment in Malaysia