Indigenous group creates safety equipment library
A local group is hoping to deter predators by loaning out safety equipment for Indigenous women, youth, and two-spirited people.
Children First Society Executive Director Diandra Powderhorn says people considered at high risk of being abducted or harmed could soon get access to a library of safety equipment.
“Indigenous people are at a higher risk of being targeted,” Powderhorn said in an interview with CTV News.
She is collecting donated body cameras, door jams, and GPS trackers to loan out.
They will loan out some of the equipment collected on Friday after the Every Child Matters walk ends at the Manitoba Legislative Building.
“We do have a few cameras out in the community already for the high-risk members.”
Statistics Canada says six in 10 Indigenous women will have experienced some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. It says homicide rates are five times higher for Indigenous women than rates for non-Indigenous women across Canada.
The group is hoping the equipment will act as a deterrent for people considering harming Indigenous women, youth, or two-spirited people.
“We want to try to make a difference before these things happen,” Powderhorn said. "We are hoping that predators out there will see this and think twice."
Winnipeg Police Service Superintendent Bonnie Emerson says they engage with community organizations that search for people with unknown whereabouts or work with those who are vulnerable on a regular basis.
“You absolutely should not have to wait for something to happen for support but that’s again where police services partner with community organizations where there is safety planning,” Emerson said. “What we are doing is hopefully sharing information that empowers those organizations to work with the individuals that work with the women directly in a safe and trauma-informed way.”
Darryl Contois walks Winnipeg streets every day – volunteering to look for people out of contact with loved ones.
“This is our city. This is the city that we love,” Contois said, “We got to work together.”
He says many Indigenous people often turn to him when they lose contact.
“A lot of people would rather talk to somebody that's not a police officer.”
He says he will work with authorities and share information – but says his approach is what sets him apart.
"All it is - is about closure and helping that family find their loved one.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
These snakes not only fake their own deaths, they use gory special effects to do it
Awards season may be over for human actors this year, but there’s no rest for some of nature’s most audacious thespians.