Roots Of Violence Against Women Discussed At Event

Roots Of Violence Against Women Discussed At Event

Friday, November 13, 2009 at 15:28

The art of interacting with the opposite sex has been lost in the Aboriginal community, according to the organizer of a women’s conference in North Battleford this week.

Celine Pewapisconias traces the problem back to two factors: youth don’t have as much contact with elders as previous generations did, and parents either don’t have the time — or don’t take the time — to teach their kids the right way to interact.

Pewapisconias says the result is that boys are often too rough with girls, or treat them badly, and girls don’t know how to tell them that.

She says that inability is part of a wider issue.

Pewapisconias says women in general –- and Aboriginal women in particular –- don’t get the respect they should.

She says that’s reflected in the fact that more than 500 Aboriginal women are missing in Canada.