Women's centre undaunted by lack of funding

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Women in British Columbia are exerting their strengths.

That strength is witnessed in the relentless undertakings of the Naukana Native Women's Association in Saanichton, B.C.

Spearheaded in large part by the association's founder and executive director, Zella MacDonald, Naukana evolved to meet the previously neglected needs of First Nation's women and children victims of sexual abuse. The organization has been operating primarily through the efforts of dedicated volunteers, many of whom were abused themselves.

"We knew this service was needed, because we were the ones it was meant to assist," said Zella. "We realized no one knew their rights. This is a job the government's supposed to be providing through victim services, the RCMP, or the Department of Indian Affairs. But it hasn't been getting done so we're going to create a suitable, responsive service ourselves."

Zella and the other volunteers have been undaunted by their lack of funds or the bureaucratic maze they have been experiencing while trying to get established. On June 29, 1993, the group officially opened their storefront office in spite of having no furniture and only enough funds for 3 months rent.

The association is hoping the government will acknowledge the need for an off-reserve victims assistance service and that the funding they are anticipating will come through soon. Some donations have recently been accepted to help furnish and equip the office.

Although Naukana is not equipped to provide counselling at this time and acts only as a referral agency, volunteers have received four calls requesting counselling.

Saanichton is located on the outskirts of Victoria, B.C. Tracy Porteous, executive director of the Victoria women's sexual assault centre has been working together with Naukana to ensure First Nations women in the area will receive the services they require. One possible collaborative project would result in the training of Native Sexual Abuse counselors who would be placed in permanent positions at both Naukana and the Victoria office. Porteous recalled a recent experience which confirmed the need for First Nations counselors.

"We had a Native fourth year social worker student doing her practicum at our office for three and a half months. Within one week of her arrival, we received numerous calls from various Aboriginal organizations asking if they could now start sending us clients. I was very struck by the obvious need for this service to be provided," she said.

Porteous and MacDonald aren't the only ones to recognize and advocate the need for this service. Karl Sturmanus has been volunteering countless hours as an acting co-ordinator. Ernie Clark, of the Stoilo nation, and a recent graduate of the Tribal Justice Institute, has been donating his services as a police liaison officer to Naukana. Wearing

a pager 24 hours a day, Clark has been called upon to provide legal/police advising, counseling, and protective services, such as accompanying women to court.

The inherent value and purpose of organizations such as Naukana might best be summed up by the association's volunteer legal advisor, Carol Roberts. Roberts has been instrumental in guiding the organization from its inception. She recently co-chaired a two day, Naukana sponsored hearing which provided Vancouver Island women an opportunity to voice their concerns to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People.

Originally from Hay River, NWT, Roberts is one of few First Nations women lawyers involved in the constitutional process.

"Unless you have a healthy home," she said, "you don't have a healthy community, or a healthy nation. And what good is land claims to an unhealthy nation.

"Our priorities are backwards in that regard. Women are traditionally the keepers of our identities and of healthy families. Women have lots of courage, spirit and dignity. The more they speak out, politicians can't help but listen."