Violence against women is embedded within cultural norms and the structures of society as well as felt by individual women, however one must recognize the larger power structures that perpetuate violence against women, Dhillon and Erturk/Purkayastha, in their articles, discuss this at length. “State failures to respond to the instances of abuse, and the implementation of social policies that eclipse the layered realities of Indigenous women and girls, brings into relief how the state itself is the driving force behind violence enacted upon Indigenous people historically and in the present, the primary perpetrator i fact” (Dhillon 10). Dhillon brings attention to the fact that the state itself is perpetuating violence against Indigenous women …show more content…
protecting the victims and punishing the perpetrators. There has been relatively less work done on the more general obligation of preventing violence from occurring, including addressing violence against women by supporting women’s empowerment and engaging in transformative change at the community and societal levels to eradicate patriarchal norms and values that underlie macro-structural forces of violence and the subordination of women” (Erturk/Purkayastha 146). Oppressing and marginalizing women, keeping them in subordinate positions, reinforces the strength of the patriarchy and keeps men firmly in positions of power in all facets of social life, domestically, politically, publicly, ect. The colonial power that Dhillon discusses that directly impacts and abuses Indigenous women exists across the world, everywhere impacted by colonialism. The driving force behind most colonizers, beyond a thirst for power and capital, was religion, Christianity primarily. Christianity subordinates women and girls through a benevolent guise that overtly supports violence against women in all forms. Religious patriarchy deems women should remain in their ‘place’ …show more content…
Dhillon makes the case that settler colonialism specifically targets Indigenous women and girls. Although colonialism also utilizes patriarchal tools, colonialist ideologies primarily use erasure, exploitation, and state sanctioned violence to control, violate, and erase Indigenous women and culture. Dhillon states “until we unravel the normative frameworks that structure the everyday in a settler colonial reality intent on mutilating Indigenous bodies, dislocating them, holding them in captivity, and ultimately, making them disappear” (5). This is the largest difference between the two articles. Dhillon draws attention to the fact that the goal of settler colonialism is to eradicate Indigenous bodies. Erturk and Purkayastha describe systemic violences against women and how that effects all women everywhere, the goal of patriarchy is to subordinate women, not eradicate them. The mentality of colonialism was assimilate or die and this mentality still exists on a state level, however the powers that be have found ways to make their intentions more
Her book focuses on the myriads of issues and struggles that Indigenous men and women have faced and will continue to face because of colonialism. During her speech, Palmater addressed the grave effects of the cultural assimilation that permeated in Indigenous communities, particularly the Indian Residential School System and the Indian Act, which has been extensively discussed in both lectures and readings. Such policies were created by European settlers to institutionalize colonialism and maintain the social and cultural hierarchy that established Aboriginals as the inferior group. Palmater also discussed that according to news reports, an Aboriginal baby from Manitoba is taken away every single day by the government and is put in social care (CTVNews.ca Staff, 2015). This echoes Andrea Smith’s argument in “Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy: Rethinking Women of Color Organizing” that colonialism continues to affect Aboriginals through genocide (2006, p. 68). Although such actions by the government are not physical acts of genocide, where 90% of Aboriginal population was annihilated, it is this modern day cultural assimilation that succeeded the Indigenous Residential School System and the Indian Act embodies colonialism and genocide (Larkin, November 4,
In a forthright manner, Yasmin Jiwani and Mary Lyn Young examine the "discursive practices used by the news media" (897) in relationship to the missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) in Canada. Opening their argument, the authors outline their mode of discussion by stating that their paper will look through a feminist lens at the radicalized and sexualized violence that has become nothing short of an epidemic. By specifically focusing their attention towards to MMIW, Jiwani and Young structure their investigation in a documentary-style discussion, which reveals the ideological and systemic racism and sexualisation embedded within North American culture and media towards Aboriginal women. Their mode of appeal explicitly lays out, in a
In this proposal our team seeks to explore the injustices within the Indian Act. To achieve this our proposed research will examine the target population being the aboriginal woman. The paper will further explore the oppressions faced by the aboriginal women within the Indian Act. In conclusion, this proposal will sum up the negative impact that the Indian Act had on aboriginal women and how it continues to oppress this population within the Canadian National discourse.
Green argues that the prevalence of violence within Aboriginal women is an example of the residual effects of colonization, where “low valuation of women and women’s work has been laid over Aboriginal values” (Green 333). The violence experienced by Adelaine highlights the effects of colonial attitudes towards Aboriginal woman. The active questioning of this cycle of violence, and eventually her speaking out against it, is textual proof of Adelaine’s ability to fight back against colonial attitudes.
This misinterpretation and glorification of violence has been one of the major issues as to why inequality still exist. CONCLUSION A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power involves the issues of discrimination and injustice towards women all over the world. Former President Jimmy Carter has raised awareness to everyone in society and made them realize the pure wrongdoings that have occurred.
Feminism and Indigenous women activism is two separate topics although they sound very similar. In indigenous women’s eyes feminism is bashing men, although Indigenous women respect their men and do not want to be a part of a women’s culture who bring their men down. Feminism is defined as “The advocacy of women 's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.” In theory feminism sounds delightful despite the approaches most feminists use such as wrong-full speaking of the opposite gender. Supposedly, feminism is not needed as a result of Indigenous women being treated with respect prior to colonization. Thus, any Native woman who calls herself a feminist is often condemned as being “white”. This essay argues that Indigenous women may
After colonization began there were countless detrimental changes to the indigenous way of life that took place. Neu (2000) discusses these detrimental changes in detail. The author accounts for the lost of their land and natural environment, the discouragement of their lifestyle focused on hunting and gathering, the separation of families via the residential school system, and the punishment received for the usage of traditional customs and language. In many ways the colonists disrespected the Aboriginal people by disregarding their fundamental needs and wants. Additionally, the process of colonization implemented some drastic gender role changes into Aboriginal culture. Colonization imposed European patriarchy, accompanied by racism and sexism, on the matriarchal Aboriginal cultures. As a result, the Aboriginal women of Canada lost their sense of purpose and responsibility, burdening them with less respect and power compared to the men. This loss contributed to many negative effects for these women and made them feel a strong sense of cultural estrangement.
...eoples as uncivilized and potentially violent in hopes of promoting the view that the forced separations of Native peoples from their lands and the murderous practices that pursued were inevitable as part of the hegemonic system (Carleton, 2011, p.111). Currently, social studies standards often take on a tone of detachment, focusing on political actions and court rulings rather than examining how these actions consequently affected the lives of Native Americans (Shear, 2015, p.88). This serves to disillusion students on the affairs of Native American conditions, keeping Native Americans locked in history and in the hindsight of American people. By furthering their frameworks, I will illustrate how these colonial discourses negatively impacted Native Americans in their fight for civil liberties and continue to negatively impact them today in their fight for awareness.
According to Smith, sexual violence “is not simply a tool of patriarchy, but also a tool of colonialism and racism” (Smith 2005, 8). As a result, women are being forced to suffer abuse, which damages their identity. Because of colonialism, Native women often find themselves forced into silence around sexual and domestic violence in their communities. By staying silent about sexual and domestic violence, Native communities are “able to maintain a united front against racism” (Smith 2005, 1). Accordingly, Native women are constantly being marginalized in patriarchal discourses regarding racism, colonialism, and white supremacy discourses. Historically, it is mentioned that sexism is the inability of both patriarchy and white supremacy discourses,
Aboriginal women in Canada do not suffer direct (physical) violence only (e.g. domestic violence, rape, sexual assault) but also suffer indirect violence which is structural violence as explained by Galtung (1969). Structural violence is a hidden form of operational violence against women (Farmer 1996). It is built into the fabric of many societies today (indigenous politics, 2005). There are well documented evidence on gender inequalities which leads to inadequate human development and expectancy of life in general (Indigenous politics, 2005) These evidences show the lack of governmental support for working women which is universal (including Canada who is low on the GII) (GII report 2014). Structural violence is built maintained in the society through socio-cultural and political constructions/norms (Confortini 2006) which are used to manipulate, dominate and control women (Canadian women’s
In specific, she interrogates the notion of gender itself and how it leads to constructed oppression and continued false inferiority by genders, sexes, and races. Her article is a critique of Anibal Quijano's theories. Lugones challenges Quijano's theory because it is constructed in and reproduces several problematic colonial ideas of sex and gender. The Arvin et al. piece, Decolonizing Feminism: Challenging Connections between Settler Colonialism and Heteropatriarchy, confronts the continued colonization of native people's in the United States. Moreover, the article analysis how how "settler colonialism" and heteropatriarchy are linked, benefit and grow through one another. The argument in this article states that Women's and Gender studies and Native Studies cannot continued to be siloed nor fooled into believing they are separate issues if we (feminists) ever hope to see the end of a heteropartriachal state; and therefore end settler
Gender-based violence is made possible by the ideology of sexism in Indian traditional culture which argues that women are worth less than men in the sense of having less power, status, privilege, and access to resources that is more prevalent in middle class and low caste families.
I have been taught that Christianity is a loving religion that cares for all, But this is not always the case. Upon reading, among other theological works, “Quest for the Living God” by Elizabeth A. Johnson, it becomes apparent that Christianity has been used to systematically marginalize women throughout history despite the teachings of the Bible. While it might not be intentional, the negative treatment of Women has been ingrained into Christian teachings over hundreds of years.
Women in Pakistan are mistreated and abused on a daily basis. The punishments many women who live in this female oppressed country undergo are cruel and unusual in nature. Punishments such as acid attacks, being whipped, being burned, raped, or killed. Although many believe this would apply to all women it mainly just applies to the middle and lower class. The higher class also known as the “elite” class has an advantage being much more educated, and wealthier. The “elite” class owns property and does not hesitate to seek a divorce and to remarry. Due to the fact they are so high up in the economy, they are fully reinforced and protected by the power of their family and community. Not all Pakistani woman can experience the “elite” lifestyle. For the woman who don’t experience this lifestyle, they often live in fear. For example, a woman could not leave her house without th...
Violence against women appeared from a long time ago and happened in every country. It caused pain in both mental and physical for women. There were so many people trying to stop this problem but it was still not completely fixed. There are many reasons that lead to this issue all over the world. After many surveys and investigations, we realized that the main reason is Discrimination and Unequal power. Some legends and stories in the past made people think men’s role is more important than women’s role in society. And because men are stronger, more active than women so they can do more work. This also makes people think men deserve more rights than women. They soon forced on human’s mind that men are also...