Indigenous men dealing with violence want more resources in Quebec

MartinHervieux, anInnuman fromPessamit, Quebec, wishes resources would have had existed for his father decades ago when his violent behaviour dominated their family life.

I would have liked it if a house for men had been accessible to my father when I was young. He was beating my mom, saidHervieux, 59. Also, I could have used help later in my life.

Hervieuxis now part of theNapeuat(mens) Committee and is among a small but growing number of men involved in efforts to address family violence in Quebecs aboriginal communities.

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When theNapeuatCommittee decided three years ago it was time to build an indigenous mens shelter, to provide a haven and support for violent men, they turned to the Womens Shelter Network for guidance.

During their initial encounters,Hervieuxadmits, we were scared.

TheNapeuatCommittee members were outnumbered by 14 women, including, I believe, four radical feminists, he said. We told our personal stories and explained our project. Then, the most radical of them asked us to be part of their network.

We said yes right away.

Hervieuxlived violence, discrimination and racism

We did not go to residential schoolbut nuns in the village taught us we were bad.I was not even 10 years old,he remembers.

There was always alcohol in the village coming on the river or through the woods. I starteddrinking at 13, got arrested and beaten by the RCMP officers.All the family was drinking...Oneday, I had really too much to drink. I woke up in the morning and my father was dead. I do notremember anything. I was sentenced to seven years in the penitentiary.

Men have learned to be strong but they need to learn not to be ashamed toget help.- SheilaSwasson

When he was released,Hervieuxhad nowhere to go. He wound up in Montreal, homeless.

I wasan alcoholic, and a cocaine junkie. I had just my shoes and the clothes on my back. But I had onething. I had the heart to stop.

Now sober for the past 22 years, MartinHervieuxis one of few men to be involved in theaboriginal womens movement. It is worth it. I learn a lot from them.

Punitive system for aboriginal men

But Quebec has the dubious distinction of lagging far behind other provinces and territories, in terms ofproviding services to aboriginal men; this, according to criminologist and professorReneBrassardfrom Laval University. We are in a punitive system," she says,"no crime, no services formen.

Brassardwill publish a new study in spring 2015.She and her research team met with several First Nations and Inuit men of Quebec in prison.

Wefound that many men were intoxicated during the crime and often their spouse was alsoextremely violent and under the influence of different substances. Also, many do not know who started the fight and mentioned that they were often victims of jealousy and violence from their partner.

If theres a shortage of resources for aboriginal men involved in domestic abuse, theres also a lack of hard data.

Under the supervision ofBrassard, Lisa Ellington published a Masters thesis in the sociology department ofUniversitLaval. It demonstrates that most of our statistics on violence are collected with and about women.

We do not know much about how aboriginal men perceive violence, how they react, etc,saysBrassard.

Through her research Ellington points out that domestic violence is financially and socially expensive. Over the last 10 years, it has been the most common problem shared by First Peoples in all regions.

SheilaSwassonis a founding member of the National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violenceand a long time advocate of theMigmaqcommunity ofListiguj. She is not surprised by theresults.

Men have learned to be strong,she says, but they need to learn not to be ashamed toget help. She points to the consequences of assimilation and theinter-generationaleffects ofresidential schools in Canada.

They were often abused at a young age. Sometimes our peoplenormalize violence.

Inviting men to be part of movement

Early in their involvement, aboriginal women were the first to ask the feminist organizations ofQuebec to invite men in activities to stop family violence, remembers MichelleAudette, president of Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC).

When the FederationdesfemmesduQubec(Quebec Womens Federation) asked us to be part of their walk for InternationalWomens Day in2000we said 'yes'but only if men were involved.

At first, theQuebec womens movement refused but they changed their minds,Audetteexplains.

SheilaSwasson, whos also in charge ofListigujwomens shelter,Haven House,is modifying services to bemore holisticand include men and youthcentres.

But more needs to be done. InKuujjuaq,Nunavik, there is theTungasuvvikwomen's shelter. Annie Olivier isa psychoeducatorand was a consultant for the shelter.

Theres a shortage of housing inNunavikand with children involved, after their treatment, women go back with their male partner. Weneed a mens shelter,she said.

Hervieuxhas seen cuts to social services made by the current liberal government of Quebec.

He hopes that his initiatives like the White Ribbon campaign, to get men involved in healthy relationships, might bring awareness to people making decisions.

When I share my story, even today, it helps me heal.

ForHervieuxthe fight to get a shelter and services is not finished.