POLICE CHARGING POLICIES & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - Native ...

Geographical barriers prevent aboriginal women from accessing services which couldassist them in violent situations, leaving them no protection at all. Most aboriginalwomen have no funds to travel to the women's shelters because the costs are too high.Financial restraints also impact negatively where there is difficulty getting counselling tothe victims in remote communities or reserves. Sometimes there is difficulty in locatingthe "client" because she or he has moved.On the positive side, one individual reported that some aboriginal women living in anisolated environment have counselling, police services and a shelter available.Another difficulty is the fact that the police may not be able to communicate with thevictim in her aboriginal language. This impacts negatively on the investigation. Thismatter is further complicated due to some communities or community membersobjecting to the use of a "foreign justice system." The situation is greatly improvedwhere there is an aboriginal constable.b) Fear of Further Abuse and Removal from the Home and CommunityNative Justice ResponseThe major difficulty faced by women has been cited as a fear of retaliation by thehusband's family, his friends, and the community. One respondent reported that abusedaboriginal women also fear having no access to police. An aboriginal woman'sdifficulties are increased with a lack of resource centres such as women's shelters,"safe" houses and transition homes. It is an onerous ordeal for a battered woman to beuprooted from her home, family and community, especially when there is no place toescape from family violence.Police ResponseThere is always fear of retaliation of the offender by the abused woman. There isusually a delayed police reaction to violent situations in northern communities. In themore isolated areas the police have to fly in and this delays response time. Where thereare no counselling services or shelters available in the north, abused women are placedin shelters in southern or central communities away from their families. Social workersare available in some northern communities, but if prolonged counselling is requiredthen the victim has to go south.c) No Community AssistanceThe police and Native justice respondents agreed there is a stigma attached toaboriginal women who make a report to the police and proceed with the charge once itis processed.Pg. 32