Thinking about the northern BC murders
and impacts on Indigenous women
If you see me around town and are wondering why I haven't left yet to go to school down south, the answer is yes I'm still here. If I kept track of the amount of people that asked "I thought you left town?" in the last week it would be a lot. But that means that people are reading this column, which is great!
We hit the highway last Friday (July 26) and I must say that I am happy my partner is travelling with us as I am not too fond of driving on the highway alone. I have to say that after hearing about the two suspects on the loose on the northern BC highway, I became really worried. If my partner weren't with me I would feel really unsafe and I am thankful that he will be with us on our drive.
It is really upsetting that as a woman I tend to feel unsafe when travelling. If it were just my daughter and I travelling alone on the highway, I would be afraid of being targeted by predators because unfortunately our gender and our ethnicity make us look vulnerable.
I shouldn't have to feel like I need to carry a weapon with me in the driver's side door for protection, but I would if it were just her and I travelling alone.
There are 231 recommendations that came out of the Missing and Murdered Women and Girls Enquiry Calls to Action that can be implemented to keep women safe when travelling, and there is an entire section dedicated to the need for more frequent and accessible transportation services to be made available to Indigenous women.
These recommendations needed to be implemented a long time ago as it would have probably prevented many murders and missing person cases particularly on Highway 16 the "Highway of Tears." They are recommendations such as; having a bus free-ride program, enhancing public transit systems to provide safer travel options connecting Northern communities, establishing safe homes at strategic locations along the entire length of Highway 16 and placing a number of emergency phone booths along the highway at strategic locations.
These are just a few of the recommendations that are not costly or difficult to implement and monitor.
I've been following the story of the two teenage suspects from Port Alberni on the news and I've read about some of the complaints it has caused among Indigenous communities because of the amount of news coverage the story has received over crimes committed against Indigenous people.
I can't help but to agree that it is true: mainstream media coverage often focuses on murders affecting non-Indigenous peoples far more than Indigenous peoples who, statistics have shown, are more likely to be victims of violence.
Mainstream media content is very much still reported from a colonial lens. Let's take the case of Colton Boushie for example who was a victim. He was portrayed in the media as a troublemaker and the man that shot and killed him walked away.
When I read about these two boys that are involved in a Canada wide manhunt, what I read were depictions like "they are good kids" or "they were never in trouble with the law."
It's surprising to many people to think that two non-Indigenous boys would do something like this, but because Colton Boushie was an Indigenous person he was instantly labeled a trouble maker with no questions asked.
Let's stop stereotyping people by their race and class and stop determining their potential to commit heinous and senseless crimes by these conclusions.
As I see it, it is often people that you would least suspect who would commit this type of violence. Don't get me wrong, I feel very sorry for everyone involved in the tragedies that are surrounding this case. I hope that they find the two wanted suspects and I hope that no one else gets hurt.
I am praying for the residents of Fox Lake Cree Nation and Gillam in Manitoba as I can't imagine how afraid the communities must be feeling right now. I hope that they are all able to help each other and form a neighbourhood watch to keep safe.
This is a reminder to all of us to keep safe when travelling.