Many additional obstacles stand in the way of marginalized women seeking justice after experiencing sexual or domestic violence. With a common voice, four organizations fighting against violence against women asked the Quebec government on Thursday to take greater account of the specific needs of these women in the work sites currently being deployed.
Whether it is for the specialized court project for sexual violence and domestic violence, for the measures aimed at responding to the recommendations of the report rebuild trust or even for the government’s action plan aimed at combating sexual exploitation, these organizations believe that there is a danger that the system will reproduce the inequalities that affect women of immigrant origin, racialized women, Aboriginal women, in disabled, deaf or belonging to a sexual or gender minority.
“There are a lot of uncertainties and blind spots around these sites, worries Roxanne Ocampo, communications officer for the Regroupement québécois des CALACS (Centre for help and the fight against sexual assault). There is a very real risk that these reforms will leave some victims behind and end up reproducing the same obstacles. »
These barriers have been detailed in a new study titled Justice for marginalized women victims of gender-based violence produced by UQAM researchers Geneviève Pagé, Sarah Thibault and Carole Boulebsol. The results of this study are based on the testimonies of 60 workers working with marginalized women.
Specific difficulties
“The contacts of these women with the justice system are marked by difficulties which are specific to them and which are part of more global social dynamics”, explained Manon Monastesse, director of the Federation of women’s shelters. . Among these barriers are mistrust of the justice system, lack of translation and interpretation services, systemic discrimination, racial prejudice and cultural insecurity.
Thus, a worker told the researchers that many immigrant women choose not to denounce for fear of fostering prejudice against their communities. “It’s sad that women have to make this choice: do I care about the reputation of the community or do I protect myself and file a complaint? “.
Another worker revealed that the precariousness of the immigration status of some women and their fear of the justice system make it difficult to report situations of violence. “They are afraid of the system, […] their spouse has painted them a faulty portrait of the system here, they are afraid of being deported because of their status,” she said.
Finally, another participant argued that women who are deaf, have a disability or who do not have French as their mother tongue fear not being understood or deemed credible. “Will the police believe her? Will she have access to an interpreter? Will his story be well recorded? “, she noted.
To better support and accompany these marginalized women, the workers interviewed recommended increasing the training of police officers, investigators, prosecutors and judges. An avenue that would make it possible to “raise awareness and continuously train people who work with women […] by tending to develop relationships based on a bond of trust, openness and respect,” argued Louise Riendeau of the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victims de violence conjugale.
For Roxanne Ocampo of the Regroupement québécois des CALACS, there is a need to place the needs of victims at the center of ongoing reforms. “It is hoped that this study will shed light on why many marginalized women choose not to file complaints in the face of all these barriers,” she said.