1. darkhorse's theories of the higher rate of sexual assault are on the money. I don't expect anyone living south of 60 or in a community larger than 25,000 to completely understand life in the North. It easily brings out the worse in people. Race is just one factor (hard not to have low self esteem when the entire country thinks you less worthy), but it certainly isn't a qualifier.
2. Regardless of why, there still remains the question of what are you going to do about it? In the NWT (Inuit, Dogrib, Dene, cross selection from around the country and world), our anti-violence organizations are losing funding, cutting staff and cutting programs. A group of us have grown annoyed with lobbying government officials more concerned with diamond profits and pleasing DIAND. In collaberation with the V-Day Organization (vday.org) we have organized fundraising for our local Women's Centre, Centre for Northern Families and the Native Women's Association's Victim Services. Last year, we made around $14,000. With that money, healthy baby classes occured, anger management sessions took place, a shelter for abused or poor families stayed open, etc. And the anti-violence, pro-women message presented by a showing of "The Vagina Monologues" stayed in the community. It's just a start, but at least we're moving towards a healthier violence-free community.
