As a result, it can be easy to justify the harms experienced by Indigenous women and girls based on what they are “doing.” For instance, situations of sexual violence are written off due to involvement in prostitution. However, the Native Women’s Association of Canada’s research indicates that some women were “vulnerable” to violence only insofar as they were Indigenous and they were women. 

Approximately 6 in 10 Indigenous women experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes. Yet, violence against Indigenous women and girls continues today through colonial institutions such as reserves, child welfare, and policing systems.