On August 3rd, 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared November as National Indian Heritage Month, know as National Native American Heritage Month. This time is taken to give recognition for the first Americans and their significant contribution for establishments and growth of the U.S.
Native women have been experiencing sexual assault for centuries. Rape was used as a tactic to overpower the people during attacks from the beginning of colonization. These effects of sexual violence from colonization continues to harm the Indigenous community today.
Statistics
American Indians are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault crimes compared to all other races, and one in three Indian women reports having been raped during her lifetime.
34 percent of Native women are raped in their lifetimes.
One in three Native American women will be raped in her lifetime
61 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women (or 3 out of 5) have been assaulted in their lifetimes
Native women experience intimate partner violence at a rate of 46 percent over their lifetimes
Barriers
Though many survivors have common experiences with intimate partner violence, across the Native and Alaskan Village communities they experience very unique barriers. These barriers include:
culturally specific forms of abuse
historical and intergenerational trauma of the colonization of tribes
jurisdiction barriers of revoked tribal jurisdiction of non-Natives perpetrators on tribal lands
infrastructure limitations to implement restored jurisdiction (tribal police, court systems, prisons)
available resources and funding for all tribal programs and shelters, enforcement of protection orders, and/or processing of sexual assault forensic examination kits
community confidentiality conflicts
What We can Do:
The Center is committed to creating a world that is free from sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and human trafficking. All of our services are FREE & Confidential to all. We provide free resources to survivors of sexual violence. These resources consisted of 1-on-1 crisis counseling, groups counseling (for men and women), court and hospital accompaniments, advocacy, and 24/7 crisis hotline. By empowering, advocating, and educating our communities we can have a world free of domestic and sexual violence.
If you or someone you care for is a survivor of sexual assault, we are here for you. If you would like additional resources for healing from sexual assault please reach out to us at our 24 hour crisis hotline: 757-260-5260.
For other resources check out the link below:
References:
