Sexualised, Fetishized and Murdered – The Violent Truth about the Lives of Indigenous Women and Girls in North America

By Sophie Ward

Across the North American continent, Indigenous women and girls (IWG) are highly vulnerable to violence, with as many as 84% having experienced some form of violence in their lives. The endemic violence towards IWG is rooted in colonialism, with a number of colonial legacies contributing to the issue. Colonial policies and structural violence are the most cited legacies but this article will consider another, less discussed, part of colonialism: The sexualisation and fetishization of IWG by White settlers. It is important to discuss this as descendants of White settlers continue to sexualise and fetishize IWG, which has ultimately resulted in their continued insecurity and vulnerability to violence today. 

Exotic and Sexy

In colonial European society, sex and sexuality were not openly talked about. In Indigenous communities in North America, however, they were, and IWG were free to embrace their sexuality. Sexual permissiveness saw IWG labelled as promiscuous by the settlers which, when combined with their so-called ‘exotic’ nature and appearance, created a hyper-sexualised narrative of them in White minds. As a result, they became fetishized, perceived as sexual objects that could fulfil the sexual desires and needs of White settlers. Not only is sexualising violent in itself, but it also made them vulnerable to sexual and physical violence from the White settlers whose superiority complex made them feel IWG were theirs for the taking. This stereotype of IWG continues today, evident in the way they are depicted in pop-culture. From ‘sexy’ Halloween costumes to Disney’s hyper-sexualised portrayal of Pocahontas, IWG are continually sexualised by society, making them particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and human trafficking today, as people try and live out their fetishes and fantasies of IWG. 

“Control your Woman”

The promiscuity narrative of IWG in the colonial era also contributed to the White settlers’ orientalist mindset, which sought to civilise Indigenous communities. Colonisation involved the imposition of Western cultural values and societal norms onto the colonised and included in these were gender norms. Baffled that IWG had control over their bodies, White settlers would use punishments like rape and murder to take control away from them and as a tool  for installing Western values into them. Violent acts, like rape and murder, were a tool through which White settlers could control not only IWG but also the wider Indigenous community, as they would conform to protect their sisters, wives and mothers. Contemporary violence committed against IWG instils this motive, as descendants of settlers seek to continue imposing their cultural values and norms onto Indigenous communities. This points to the genocidal nature of attacks on IWG.

Colonialism has left a violent legacy behind in North America, which has labelled IWG as ‘exotic and sexy’ and ‘easy to use and abuse’. This, combined with the precarious economic state of most Indigenous communities, who have been trapped in poverty as a result of biased colonial policies, has had devastating consequences on the safety of IWG. The case study of ‘Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ in Canada is perhaps the most shocking example of just how vulnerable IWG are to violence, as a result of colonial sexualising. 

Canada’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)

Since the 1970’s it is estimated that as many as 4,000 IWG have either gone missing or been murdered in Canada. In 2015, it was estimated that a quarter of all women who were murdered were Indigenous, despite the fact they make up less than 4% of the total population, making it clear that IWG are disproportionately impacted by violence in Canada. The landmark ‘National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ published in 2019, which investigated the issue of MMIWG, concluded that Canada is witnessing a genocide against IWG, and that drastic measures need to be taken to end it.

Figure  - Some of Canada's many MMIWG

Colonialism, and its legacy of sexualising and fetishizing the bodies of IWG, has been cited as a key cause of high rates of MMIWG. It has created an environment in which IWG are devalued and seen as subhuman, disposable. This is reflected in government and police responses to cases of violence against IWG. Only 54% of murder cases involving IWG leads to a conviction in Canada, well below the national average of 84%. Families of victims feel the police do not respond quick enough to missing persons reports or investigate murders properly. Additionally, consecutive governments have been called out of their complicit role in the genocide against IWG, pointing towards an unseen structure of violence, which systematically hinders Indigenous communities' abilities to flourish and makes IWG more of a target. 

Canada has created an environment in which people know that if the victim of whatever violent crime they commit is an IWG, they are less likely to get caught or prosecuted. This has placed targets on their backs. Furthermore, the stereotyping of IWG as ‘promiscuous’ or ‘sexual deviants’ has also reduces the responsibility attackers take for acts of violence. Combined, these have made IWG highly vulnerable to all manner of violence. 

Harsh Truths

Simply being an Indigenous woman or girl makes you a target for violence across North America because of the deep-rooted stereotypes and assumptions that surround them. They have been sexualised and fetishized, which has ultimately reduced their societal position and increased their vulnerability. It is therefore important that IWG become un-sexualised for change to occur. In doing so, IWG will regain control over their bodies and sexuality and ultimately reduce their vulnerability to violence from those who seek to dominate them.