NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: social sciences, Inuit women, criminal justice system, gender-based violence

Objective(s): To study the criminal justice response to gender-based violence in Inuit Nunangat in order to increase awareness and understanding of the needs, challenges, and service gaps that face Inuit women.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4893. Pauktuutit is conducting a research project to study the criminal justice response to gender-based violence in Inuit Nunangat in order to increase awareness and understanding of the needs, challenges, and service gaps that face Inuit women. The primary research question is: How can the criminal justice system be made more responsive to the needs of Inuit women who experience gender-based violence? The goal is to advance effective criminal justice strategies to alleviate gender-based violence and prevent re-victimization, with a focus on the needs and safety of Inuit women. Quantitative online survey: will measure Inuit women’s understanding of and experiences with the criminal justice system and how they feel about their safety, legal rights, and access to justice. To recruit a broad sample in the four regions of Inuit Nunangat, Pauktuutit will work with local and regional partners and stakeholders to advertise the survey through several channels, including posters, radio, and social media. The researcher team will conduct interviews with Inuit women with lived experience of gender-based violence and the criminal justice response (8 women in 2 Inuvialuit communities = 16 participants). On the recommendation of the Project Advisory Committee, Paulatuk and Ulukhaktok have been selected as the Inuvialuit sites of the research. To recruit participants from these communities, Pauktuutit will work with local partners and stakeholders to advertise the project through several channels (posters, radio, and social media). An Inuvik woman will assist and be trained in trauma-informed, qualitative interview techniques and then travel to the communities to conduct the interviews. A local community research liaison will be consulted in each of the communities in order to provide guidance on facilitating culturally appropriate strategies for participant recruitment and data gathering. An interpreter will be present (if need be) to simultaneously translate what is being said. Criminal justice actors and service providers whose work brings them into close contact with the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in Inuvialuit (10 participants). A purposive sampling strategy will be used. Potential participants will be sent an email invitation to determine their willingness to participate. Interviews will be conducted via telephone by the researchers (Ravasian and Comack) and audio-recorded for transcription. Free, prior, and informed consent and confidentiality will be maintained throughout the study. Pauktuutit has over 35 years of experience conducting interviews and needs assessments and developing prevention and awareness campaigns and knowledge exchange across Inuit Nunangat. To this end, Pauktuutit ensures that differing socio-economic and regional circumstances of Inuit are captured and incorporated during program and project development through building community networks and advisory bodies that embrace broad and comprehensive Inuit input and expertise. The resulting initiatives are guided by Inuit women, ensuring the initiatives successfully meet their needs and those of their families and communities. For this project, a Project Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from each of the four regions of Inuit Nunangat has been formed. In addition to providing ongoing guidance as the project proceeds, the Project Advisory Committee members will be asked to provide feedback on the study’s draft report, including whether their region is well-represented. The online survey results will be used to develop bilingual, plain language resources for Inuit women to help them understand and exercise their legal rights. Pauktuutit will launch a multi-media campaign involving public service announcements, posters, brochures, and the like to address Inuit women’s safety needs, identify their legal issues, and support them to make informed decisions about legal action. The qualitative interviews will form the basis of a report highlighting key issues, recommendations, and promising practices to improve criminal justice responses to gender-based violence to meet the needs of Inuit women. The report will be disseminated to key stakeholders and made available on Pautkuutit’s website. Interview participants who wish to receive a copy of the report will be asked to initial the Consent Form and provide their contact information. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from December 15, 2020 to December 31, 2020.