Christine Sioui doesn’t have illusions that a single conference will solve the problem of violence against women. But she does think it will draw the issues into the open, and that’s an important step.
“We don’t propose magic solutions,” says Sioui, who is organizing a conference on violence against Native women Nov. 15 to 17 in Montreal.
“We want to tell people they have their own solutions. We want to talk about violence and talk about what some people in some communities have done.” After a year of organizing work, Sioui and fellow coordinator Clotilde Pelletier expect 400 delegates from across Quebec to attend this gathering of the Quebec Native Women’s Association. Its theme: “This Is Dawn: In The Spirit Of Wellness For All Native People.” The theme was carefully chosen so as not to alienate anyone, with an emphasis on constructive solutions as well as the problems.
“We want to convince the males and people who administer things in Native communities that violence and sexual aggression are as important as territorial claims. We have to have healing in minds, bodies and souls to have autonomy.” Dialogue is an important first step, said Sioui. “If we don’t talk about it, we can never begin to do anything about it.” Sioui said conference-goers will be able to learn lessons from the work people have done in Manewan and Grand Lac Victoria to inform and deal with sexual assaults, violence and child abuse.
The conference’s $200,000 pricetag is being picked up mostly by delegates, but federal and provincial governments are also kicking in some money.
