Indigenous women in Saskatchewan subject to police mistreatment: report
SASKATOON — Indigenous women in Saskatchewan have been subjected to violence, invasive strip searches and other mistreatment by police, says a report from a human rights watchdog that was quickly criticized by some police agencies.
The report from New-York-based Human Rights Watch said the group documented 64 cases of alleged violent abuse during a visit last year to the province that included talks with indigenous women and social workers.
“Human Rights Watch found evidence of a fractured relationship between law enforcement and indigenous communities,” the report states.
“The legacy of settler colonialism and racist assimilation policies — particularly the residential school system — still overshadow the present-day dynamics between police and indigenous communities.”