National Native Sexual Abuse Conference Underway

National Native Sexual Abuse Conference Underway

Monday, February 21, 2005 at 14:34

The Second Annual National Indigenous Sexual Abuse Conference got underway today in Edmonton.

Conference coordinator Allan Beaver says last year’s gathering certainly broke the silence about the abuse taking place in Aboriginal communities.

Beaver says many people who attended last year’s conference agreed that this sort of gathering has to happen every year in order to help sexual abuse survivors continue their healing journey.

Beaver hopes the annual event will raise the level of understanding of what sexual abuse is and help native people build safer communities.

Beaver notes that many Aboriginal communities do not have the resources or personnel to do adequate grieving and healing work.