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Our 2018 report "Another Day, Another Janazah" looking at the experience of homicide among Somali-Canadain youth (read here: https://bit.ly/2ILLufv ) found that 75% of Somali youth surveyed had a direct connection with a victim(s) of homicide. @TorontoStar @nadineyousif_ https://twitter.com/TorontoStar/status/1328353441509421056
Additional findings
In Toronto, the Somali pop. < 1.6% yet made up nearly 16% of homicides in 2016.
Every year from 2004-2016, the rate of Somali homicides has been disproportionately high to the rate of total homicides
Gun violence accounts for 62% of Somali-Cdn homicides
In Toronto, the Somali pop. < 1.6% yet made up nearly 16% of homicides in 2016.
Every year from 2004-2016, the rate of Somali homicides has been disproportionately high to the rate of total homicides
Gun violence accounts for 62% of Somali-Cdn homicides
- 30% of Somali youth surveyed stated that violent
events occurred monthly in their community.
- According to Statscanada, homicides nationally are generally concentrated among 30-39 years old
- For Somali homicide victims 82.5% were under 29 years old
events occurred monthly in their community.
- According to Statscanada, homicides nationally are generally concentrated among 30-39 years old
- For Somali homicide victims 82.5% were under 29 years old
Recommendations:
1. Invest in Somali specific healing and mental health resources. Develop and institute culturally sensitive training for practitioners most likely to serve Somali’s in regions like West Windsor, South Ottawa, KitchenerLondon-Waterloo and Toronto.
1. Invest in Somali specific healing and mental health resources. Develop and institute culturally sensitive training for practitioners most likely to serve Somali’s in regions like West Windsor, South Ottawa, KitchenerLondon-Waterloo and Toronto.
Examples include bringing together a collective of Somali stakeholders to work with institutional partners
like Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to develop guides for providing mental health supports to the Somali community.
like Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to develop guides for providing mental health supports to the Somali community.
2. Collect and publicize ethno-cultural and linguistic data. Address where significant gaps exist in Somali-specific data not only regarding gun violence/homicides but also in education, housing, mental health, and criminal justice.
3. ) Elected officials, Police and Public Safety officials should convene with Somali stakeholders to review:
- violence prevention and crisis response strategies
- homicide investigation practices
- criminal justice reform
- violence prevention and crisis response strategies
- homicide investigation practices
- criminal justice reform
Research led by @Srayale, Muna Aden, @AbdiasisIssa, @AbdiAidid with support from @laidlawfdn @UWGreaterTO @ScfsOttawa @samiya_ph @AwakeningKaKaca @Aspire2lead_ @psitivechangeTO and hundreds of Somali youth across Ontario who shared their experiences, wisdom and story.
