(Second of two parts)
SASKATOON — Awareness, support and remembrance sum up the mandate by Women Walking Together (Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik) that helps engage the public to join their campaign to address the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Darlene R. Okemaysim-Sicotte, who co-chairs Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik with Myrna LaPlante, has been working with the non-profit group since 2005 to end violence against Indigenous women. LaPlante has a missing relative, her aunt Emily Osmond.
Okemaysim-Sicotte has been a full-time volunteer with Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik for 17 years now and has been employed in three provincial institutions before deciding to work with non-profit Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre in the last nine years.
She said they highlighted the issue to the rest of the country almost two decades adding that something needs to be done to address the alarming number of MMIWG and Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual people. The average age of MMIWG’s is between 18 to 31 years old.
Okemaysim-Sicotte said having a grassroots-level movement and the use of social media also helps their organization.
“It’s in these efforts we ask the general public to keep their eyes, ears [and] hearts open to the possibility of maybe knowing a tip that could help the case of missing persons. It is effective especially in social media with Facebook, Twitter, Tik-Tok, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. where a missing person’s notice can be shared almost like its own Amber Alert process.”
Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik also supports the families of all the victims and works closely with other organizations and agencies to prevent violence against Indigenous women and girls.
“We have families that were and still are part of our group, where they share the experiences of their missing loved ones. They find a way to connect the issue to the public. The concerns and interests of having an equal right to safety, searches and justice for our missing indigenous women,” added Okemaysim-Sicotte, who received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal in 2013 for her work in raising awareness on MMIWG issues.
She said there’s still much work to be done in raising awareness and solving the human rights issue with the calls for justice not only limited to family members of the victims and survivors but also the participation of the entire community — government, institutions and other partners.
“Focus must be on combating violence against indigenous women and girls while addressing racism, sexism, ignorance and homophobia. We must support any Indigenous communities to generate solutions and deliver essential services — like safety, justice, health and housing — needed to combat the inequalities that currently exist,” said Okemaysim-Sicotte.
She said the investigation to First Nations that go missing begins with the Saskatoon Police Service’s Missing Persons Task Force Unit notifying the Chief and community where the missing person is registered as a band member.
A file number is then given to the family member who reported the missing person, and he or she will be the only individual that the police will talk to in connection to the investigation. Okemaysim-Sicottesaid they are working to expand the term as an Advocate.
She said in the close to two decades with Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik they had encountered various cases of missing persons or missing and located but is either dead or have been murdered with some the suspect/s were arrested, tried and sentenced in court and incarcerated.
“We were in advocacy and support the family of the late Victoria Nashacappo, late Katrina Bethanne Wolfe, late Dahleen Bosse-Muskego, to name a few. We have gone through an entire journey where an accused is incarcerated,” said Okemaysim-Sicottesaid.
“There is a big case involving Tiki Laverdiere where 10 people are charged and some still awaiting trial. Danita Thomas is standing trial in North Battleford charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and vehicle theft.”
She added that MMIWG cases in the country are still high with the prairie provinces — Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba — being the hotspots. There were also 36 cases of human trafficking cases reported from 2009 to 2019 with 17 coming in Saskatoon in 2019.
"That triangle is Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Indigenous women were found to be a target gender and race group that is connected to MMIWG2S according to the Final Report of National Inquiry,” said Okemaysim-Sicottesaid.
Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik organizes a Sisters in Spirit Walk and Vigil every October in the City, as part of their awareness campaign and raise the issue of violence against Indigenous women.
