A Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue study released in May documents obstetric and gynecological violence experienced by Indigenous women in Quebec’s healthcare system.
Phase I of the study collected 35 testimonies from First Nations women, and was published in November 2022, revealing accounts of forced sterilization and mistreatment during pregnancy and childbirth.
Phase II analyzed testimony from 94 First Nations women, including three Cree participants, and identified 55 cases of imposed sterilization and 39 cases of other obstetric and gynecological violence (OGV).
The report looked at incidents that took place between 1956 and 2023 involving women aged 15 to 40, that resulted in lasting trauma.
UQAT professor Suzy Basile told the Nation the project emerged in 2020 from a conference in Ottawa, where Indigenous women shared testimonies of forced sterilization. “We realized that we knew these kinds of stories existed in Quebec as well, but nothing had been documented,” Basile recalled. “We felt we had to do something.”
Shortly afterwards, the death of Atikamekw woman Joyce Echaquan during a flurry of racist abuse in Joliette Hospital reinforced the need for the research. “We all looked at each other saying that maybe we should look towards health systems in Quebec, because something doesn’t work,” Basile said.
The researchers organized a committee that included the Cree Women of Eeyou Istchee Association (CWEIA) and other Indigenous organizations.
“We know that there are many more women who have faced obstetrical and gynecological violence,” Basile said. “We heard just the tip of the iceberg.”
She believes many women may never know they were subjected to procedures without proper consent, while others choose not to speak because the experience remains too painful. The emotional impact of sharing these stories was profound, as many participants were speaking publicly for the first time about deeply personal experiences, she added.
In this research, Cree women reported having experienced verbal, emotional and psychological OGV. “They were strong to share these stories,” Basile said. “I can say it’s also part of their own healing process.”
The report includes several recommendations for improving maternal and reproductive healthcare for Indigenous women. One is the development of university-level midwifery education in English, which would support Indigenous-led birthing services in communities, Basile said.
“Another recommendation will be official apologies to First Nation women for this kind of violence,” she said. While national physician organizations have acknowledged the issue, Basile noted that the Quebec government has yet to offer an official apology.
The report urges reforms to training regimes for physicians and healthcare professionals to ensure greater understanding of Indigenous realities and systemic racism within healthcare settings. Researchers are also calling for a moratorium on the destruction of medical records that could be relevant to future investigations.
Despite the challenges documented in the study, Basile remains hopeful.
“Young women are more aware of their rights,” she said. “And hopefully they will be able one day to choose the way and where they want to give birth.”
Basile encouraged Cree community members to use the report as a tool for discussion and awareness. She mentioned that the CWEIA already plays an important role in addressing issues affecting Indigenous women and could help continue the conversation about OGV.
“They are holding conferences and symposiums,” she said. “So, they could address this issue with their members and that would be a good start.”
Derek Montour, president of the Board of Directors of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission, emphasized the importance of continuing to uncover the violence experienced by First Nation women during a virtual press conference May 26.
“Violence has existed against Indigenous people since settlers came here, and a system has been built based on that violence,” he said. “The only way we’re going to change that is to speak out and to keep amplifying these things.”
Montour thanked the women who shared their experiences through the research.
“You spoke courageously about intimate and painful realities that you experienced, and that are too often silenced and minimized,” he said. “This truth must be heard, it must be acknowledged, and it must be visible so that it can never happen again.”
Montour stressed that “imposed sterilizations are part of a continuum of violence, they are a manifestation of colonialism, of systemic racism that’s inflicted upon all of our peoples.”
For Montour, the path toward reconciliation begins with listening to survivors and acknowledging their experience. “When we talk about reconciliation, it’s about building bridges, but you have to know the truth of what you’re building it on.”
Marjolaine Étienne, president of Femmes Autochtones du Québec, praised women who shared their experiences and said the research revealed the need for culturally safe healthcare services that incorporate Indigenous knowledge.
She believes Phase II of the project confirms the scale of the situation and compels governments to end ongoing violations of the sexual and reproductive rights of Indigenous women and girls.
“Behind every statistic, every testimony, there are Indigenous women, families and communities marked by profound violations of their rights, their health, their sexual and reproductive rights, and their right to dignity,” Étienne said.