Authors: Fotheringham, S., Wells, L., & Goulet, S.

Date:  January 2020

This study describes the level of government commitment in preventing domestic violence (DV) towards Indigenous women in countries of the Global North. Seventy-two government-endorsed DV prevention plans across 11 countries were analyzed. While over half of the plans acknowledged Indigenous peoples, the main discourse reinforced a western DV paradigm, reproduced negative stereotypes, and ignored systemic factors. Little consideration for intersectionality, the impact of colonization, or Indigenous worldviews was evident. Targeted prevention strategies were found but were disjointed and culturally inappropriate. Taken together, these findings suggest minimal government commitment and absence of cultural understanding regarding DV in Indigenous communities.