BR Sexual Abuse Reserves – CP

Source: The Canadian Press – Broadcast wire
Dec 7, 2016

GATINEAU, Que. – An Ontario Native leader says there appears to be a direct link between alleged sexual abuse on northern Ontario reserves and a number of recent suicides involving young girls.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, whose organization represents 49 of Ontario’s First Nation communities, says high rates of abuse are also being reported to police in his territory.

He says they have seen girls as young as 10 or 11 take their own lives.

The scope of the problem prompted Fiddler to seek a meeting that was held Monday with Perry Bellegarde, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, as well as Liberal cabinet ministers Carolyn Bennett, Jane Philpott and Patty Hajdu.

Fiddler says police and mental health supports are not adequate to cope with the problem and that data is required to get a more complete picture of what is going on in communities.

Bellegarde says abuse is “rampant” on reserves and chiefs must confront the issue at the community level.

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(The Canadian Press)

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