Sexual assault widespread in Aboriginal communities and is also common throughout Canadian society. Colonization by Europeans had its greatest impact on Aboriginal women. It imposed European patriarchy on the matriarchal or semi- matriarchal Aboriginal cultures through the fur trade, missionary Christianity, and government policies. Racism accompanied colonization; Aboriginal women also experienced sexism. It is clear that Aboriginal men have internalized white male devaluation of women. In addition, a common view is that men rape or assault because they were abused or are victims of society themselves. Aboriginal victims experience many obstacles, including the lack of privacy that is characteristic of small communities, difficulties in interactions with the criminal justice system, lenient sentencing, and retaliation from offenders. To address these problems, improved prevention, victim services, and changes in the judicial system are needed. 9 references