Violence against Inuit women in the Canadian eastern arctic

403 Pages·2005·16.82 MB·English

by  Zellerer, Evelyn.

VIOLENCE AGAf NST INUIT WOMEN IN TliE ('AN AD1 4 N EAS I'I'KN AK('I'1C
by
Evelyn Zellerer
M.A .. University of Toronto, ,1989
THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FU1,k;ILLMflN'I' 01:
THE REQUlREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
in the School
of
CRIMiNOLOCiY
Evelyn Zellerer 1996
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
NOVEMBER 1556
All rights resewed. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by
photocopy or other means, without permission of the author.
1+1 M a t Wi ibra~j BibliotMque nationale
of Canada du Canada
Aquis4ms and Direction des acquisittons et
Bibliographic Servrces Branclh des sewices bibiqraphiques
The author has granted an L'auteur a accord6 m e licence
irrevocable non-excf usitre licence irrevocable et non exclusive
allowing the National Library of permettant a la Bibliotheque
Canada to reproduce, loan, nationale du Canada de
distribute or sell copies of reproduire, pr&r, distribuer ou
his/her thesis by any means and vendre des copies de sa these
in any form or format, making de quelque rnanih et sous
this thesis available to interested quelque forme que ce soit pour
persons. mettre des exemplaires de cette
thBse a la disposition des
personnes inthressees.
The author retains ownership of L'auteur conserve la propriete du
the copyright in his/her thesis. droit d'auteur qui protege sa
Neither the thesis nor substantial these. Ni la these ni des extraits
extracts from it may be printed or substantiels de celle-ci ne
atherwise reproduced without doivent r e imprimC ou
his/her permission. autrement reproduits sans son
autorisation.
ISBN 0-612-17192-2
1 herebv gram to Simon Fraser Universin: the right to lend my
thesis. p-d2e ct or extended essay (the title of which is slwnn belou-)
to users o tfie Simon Fraser Cini~ersityL ibrw. and to make
partial or sin@: copies only for such users or in response to a
request from &e Ii'orary of anv orher universiw. or other
educztional institution, on ir<own behalf or fdr one of its users. 1
further agree that permis<ion for lnultiple coping of this work for
scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate
Studies. It is understood tb2t coppng or publication of this \\.ark
far finacid gan shd! not be d!owrsd without my \\-I-itten
permission.
Violence Against Inuit Women i n the Canadian
Eastern Arctic,
APPROVAL
Degree: Doetor of Philosophy
Viokence Against Inuit Women in the Canadian Eastern
Arctic
lixamining Committee:
Chair: Joan Brockman, LL.M.
Margaret Jr,clJson, Ph.D)
Profeswr
Brian Burtch, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
- v
Go d Bazernure, Ph.D
Assmate Professor
Department of Criminal Justice
FIoi-ida Atlantic University
Eraiernd Examiner
Date Approved -- I?%
&22&
@
ABS'f KACT
There exists a large and growing MYof literature which deals with various
asqx?ct.. of violence against women. However. there is little information which looks
specifically at violence agdinst indigenous women or rural woman abuse. This
exploratory study examines violence against fnuit women in the Canadian eastern
arctic. The ftxus is on wife abuse in inuit communities on Baffin island. 'I'hc definition
of violence includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. The goal of tfio dissertation
is to provide an understanding of the current responses to violence.
An interdisciplinaq approach is taken, drawing on materials from a diversity of
authors, Particular attention is paid to cross-cultural studies, Gelles' exchange/atcial
control theory, and feminist theories. The thefiretical constructs guiding data analysis
we "sanctions" and "sanctuary". f anchary refers to the safe rekge, services, and
support for abused women. For this dissertation, sanctions, or methods of social
control, refer to the responses of the police, coufis, and communities to vioferrce
against women. It is argued that immediate, effective sanctions and sanctuary are
critical for the elimination of violence against women.
Findings are derived from five field visits to Baffin Istand between 1992 and
1994. Data were collected from in-depth interviews, official records, and observation.
htei-~iews COB&&& w i ~al v ariety jtf Inuit, 2nd son-Inuit mmmunit,v residents,
micep roviders, police, members of the judiciary, leadersfgovernment offlciaIs, and
ahu.wd women. Police occurrence fifes for 1991 and shelter files for 1992 were
computerized.
Inuit women were found to experience statling amounts of violence. The data
confirm the imporfmce of having fiiilctuary for abused women that is immediately
available as well as clear, effective sanctions against violence, particularly from the
community. Overal!, however, there was neither effective sanctuary nor sanctions
cumentry available. Analyzing &a gathered in Inuit communities of the Baffin region
advances the theoretical literature and raises key policy issves in the developmertt of
community-based dustice initiatives.
ACKNOWLEDCMEN'TS
Sincere appreiatiiia is exmiled io aii the individuais who shard their
pxceptions and experiences and to the women who entrusted their stories to me. ?'he
people of the north made this dissertation p)ssible. Particular acknowledgments arc
extended to Lynn Johnsun, qhe staff of Qimaavik. Bernadette Wan. and the tqiluit
Research Centre. f am grateful to Donna Robemon for tape transcriptions.
A special thanks to my suflen4soi-y committee. especially for working so hard
with me to complete this dissertation. Curt Criffiths, thanks for that air!ine ticket to the
arctic, you changed my life. Margaret Jackson, your warm suppn is always
appreciated. Brian Burtch, f am so glad that we cme full circle together.
To numerous friends and colleagues ..who provided support throughout thc
doctoral process. Thanks Greg and Shelly Saville for becoming family. 'She Ph .I).
group and "women's group" was a source of valuable information and iiiendship,
thanks Susan Boyd, Kathleen Burke, Jane Seagrave, Rob Adamoski . Gratitude is
expressed to Darryl Wood, Paul Wong, and Rod Knowlan for your supy#)rt and
computer expertise. To all my friends who understood when I had to disappear. River,
your card campaign was wonderful.
To my own family who has always ken there for me, thanks for the inspiration
big brother and love to my Mom and Dad. Partners who survive Ph.D. candidates
shauld get honorary &gees. Thanks Patz, for being there through the thick a d & in.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
..
APPROVAL ..................................................................................... 11
...
ABSTRACT .....................................................................................
ill
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............. :. ..............
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................... xii
..,
LIST OF; FlCURES ......................................................................... xm
CHAFFER ONE
introduction .....................................................
Central Questions of the Dissertation .......................
The Research Seeing: Baffin Region ................................................. 5
Definition and Forms of Violence ................................................... 11
Incidence of Violence Against 'Women in Canada ................................. 14
Outline of Dissertation ................................................................. 16
CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review of Violence Against Womezi and
Ttretlreticd Framework of this Dissertation
Introduction: ...........................................................................1. 8
Theoretical Fmus of Dissertation: Sanctions and Sanctuary ..................... 2 1
Cultural and Cross-Cutturzl Studies ................................................ 32
Violence Against Aboriginaf Women ............................................. 39
Violence Against Inuit Women ....................................................... 47
Responses c?f the Criminal Justice to Violence Against Women ................. 56
Criminal Justice System: Criticisms and Dehztes ................................. 60
Contradictions and Controversies: Feminism and Minority Women ........... 72
Further Theoretical Connections ..................................................... 85
Sanctuary for Battered Women ...................................................... 02
Summary of Literature Review ....................................................... 99
CHAPTER THREE: Field Research in the Canadian Eastern Arctic
Introduction ............................................................................ I03
Baffrn Crime and 3u stice Study ............................ .... ................. 103
The Context of Field Research: The Canadian Arctic ........................... 105
Inuit Communities of the Eastern Arctic .......................................... 110
Cdlecting Data: Field Research in Baffin Island ................................ If3
1. Police Files ................................................................ 116
2 . Shelter Files ............................................................. 118
3. Interviews .................................................................. 120
vii
4 . Participation and Observation .......................................... 128
.
.
Llmlt;tt,l orn and Przmefers of &e Sttcdy .......................................... 130
Summary ................... .. ...................................................... ;33
CHAPTER FOUR: Nature and Extent of Violence Against lnuit Women
f ntroduction ............................................................................ 136
Nature of Violence Against Inuit Women ......................................... 136
Incidence of Violence Against Inuit Women ...................................... 139
Nature and Extent of Violence: insighls from Shelter Files .................... 142
Views on Violence Against Inuit Women in the Past ............................ 149
Summary ............................................................................... 155
CHAPTER FIVE: "Sanctuary7': Refuge, Services. and Support for Abused
Women
Introduction ............................................................................ 157
Safe Refuge for Women in Communities ......................................... 157
Nowhere to Go: The Absence of Sanctuary for Victims of Violence ......... 159
Qimaavik: The Shelter in Iqaluit ................................................ 162
Perceptions of the Shelter ............................................................ 164
Women Who Used the Shelter .................................................. 167