.
Search
 Email this articleE-mail this story  Discuss this articleWrite letter to editor  Discuss this articleOrder a classified ad  Print this page

History of violence

Jillian Dickens
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Mar 13/06) - Women's standing in the world has come far, but Rebecca Veevee thinks it has a lot further to go.

Young mothers, carrying their babies, still get black eyes. Many woman do not have a home of their own. Alcohol and suicide are words often heard around the territory.

NNSL Photo/graphic

Rebecca Veevee is learning to laugh without hiding anything.


Veevee says she's had a taste of most, if not all of these harsh conditions.

She grew up without a mom or a dad and was not happy. She drank because she was sad. Girls her age beat her up while she was young.

"They beat me up all the time."

She married a vicious man who abused her beyond belief. She was told by society the abuses she suffered were her fault and she believed it.

"I was scared all the time because I thought it was my fault. I asked what I did to have this happen to me."

She buried her anger for most of her life - "I locked the door" - but it still seeped out onto her kids and her current husband.

"My husband asked what was wrong with me and I said 'I don't know, I'm mad.'"

She hurt them and that devastated her.

"I'd say sorry, sorry, sorry."

It might shock some to read this about Veevee, considering she is a locally celebrated woman who's the star of her own comedy cooking show on APTN.

"I'm not a good cook of country food, but I'm learning."

But the thing is, she's been keeping this sadness inside.

"People ask me why I was always happy and it is because I am hiding. But in 2006 I said I had enough. I'm getting older. It's moving in my mind and the lock is opening."

Just talking about her struggles and opening up to others has helped and she's discovering there are people who understand.

"I am teaching myself that I am a strong woman."

She's even noticing that her anger swells up with the cycle of the moon. When it's full, she has a greater potential to be furious.

"I am learning how to deal with my feelings and express them and it is helping a lot."