OPP investigates more murders of Indigenous men than women: report

Morning North7:51New report points to high number of missing or murdered aboriginal men

A report from the Ontario Provincial Police shines a light on the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal men. They represent a disproportionate number of those missing or killed. We heard thoughts on the matter from a First Nation's court case worker.

A new reportfrom theOntario Provincial Police shines a different light on the issue of missing and murdered indigenous people.

In a first-of-its kind report released Wednesday, OPPsay more than double the number of First Nations men have been murdered compared to First Nations women.

• 8 of 54 murders of aboriginal women remain unsolved
• Case of missing woman in Pickle Lake shows OPP 'can do better,' chief says

OPP say 54 indigenous women in the province were murdered in the last 50 years. But in a shorter time period, more than double that many indigenous men were murdered a total of 126in 36 years.

The report also found that whileOPP are looking for eightmissing First Nations women, they are still searchingfor 40 First Nations men.

"There has been a lot of discussion across our country into murdered and missing aboriginal women and girls,"said DaveTruax, director of criminal investigations for the OPP. "While we were doing this undertaking we decided to include both genders in order to get a true picture."

The report only covers the cases OPP wasinvolved in from 1956 to 2014.

Only so much families can do

An aboriginal court worker with the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre in Sudbury said he doesn't know why the numbers are higher for men, but does see many aboriginal men struggle.

"If they're becoming homeless or move off the reserve, it seems as though they're forgotten," Norman Beauvais said.

"If they don't have family in urban areas and they go missing, the family tries to contact them. That's where it stops."

There is only so much that families can do, he continued.

"If they're from five hours north of here, to come into Sudbury and start looking for them is a daunting task."

Beauvais said the OPP's numbers aresurprising. He says hedoesn't think there is much awareness about where Indigenous men are going.

He said he sees a lot of men who are homeless and struggle on a daily basis, adding that about 60 per cent of them either live on the streets or "couch surf."

Intergenerational trauma

Many First Nations men who find themselves homelessin urban centres won'taccess resources available to them, Beauvais said. That means it might be months before someone identifies who they are and where they might be from.

First Nations have a long history of trauma,which is still impacting their pride, he said. Many start using drugs or alcohol to cope.

"To think that First Nations people are doing it to themselves, or it happens just amongst first nations people, you would have blinders on to think that, because it happens all over," Beauvais said.

"But when you mix intergenerational trauma, isolation, lack of adequate housing, alcohol abuse, things are going to escalate. And things get out of control. I would like to think there's an understanding that, if people were put in those situation, there isn't anything else that they could do differently."

The issues in First Nations communities aren't just aboriginal problems, they're Canadian problems, he added.

"Our country is beginning to realize it's a problem, and it's a bruise on our country."

The OPP are hoping the report might prompt someone to come forward with new informationon some of the unsolved cases.

Report highlights

• OPP have been collecting the information for this report since 2010.
• It covers324 municipalities and the 38 First Nations communities that the OPPpolices. The data does not cover investigations in the 52 independent municipal and nine self-directed First Nations police services in Ontario.
• Between 1957 and 2014, there were eight missing Indigenous females reported to the OPP who remain missing.
• Presently, there are 40 cases that involve missing Indigenous males, since 1956.
• For the period of 1964 to December 2014, inclusive, in OPP jurisdiction, there were 54 homicides involving Indigenous females
• For the period of 1978 to December 2014, inclusive, in OPP jurisdiction, there were 126 homicides of Indigenous males

Read background information from the report.