MAV is committed to increasing inclusion and intersectionality in sexual violence prevention work at Dartmouth. To further this goal, throughout the summer, weekly educational emails will be sent to campus covering a topic that might often be overlooked in typical sexual violence prevention forums.

This Week in Sexual Violence Prevention Education:
Violence in Native Communities


Statistics show that Native women experience sexual violence at staggering rates. This violence is rooted in colonialism*, an oppressive facet of American history and present society that also prevents Native survivors from accessing adequate resources and support.


*colonialism: the exploitative historical, political, social, and economic system established when one group or force takes control over a territory or group; the unequal relationship between the colonizers and the colonized persists long after the initial conquest is over.


According to the Department of Justice:

  *   Native American women experience violent crime 3.5 x more often than the national average
  *   1/3 of Native American women will be sexually assaulted in their lives.
  *   44 percent of Indian Health Service facilities do not have sexual-assault nurse examiners or access to rape kits
  *   9/10 sex crimes reported on reservations are perpetrated by non-Native men, and federal law severely limits the ability of tribal justice systems to prosecute non-Natives, while the justice system outside the reservation is often reluctant to get involved in these cases.
     *   The reorganization of Violence Against Women Act in 2013 only gives special jurisdiction to prosecute non-natives for domestic violence, and doesn't apply to rape or other forms of sexual assault. For more information, look here.  <http://indianlaw.org/issue/ending-violence-against-native-women>
     *   The United States fails to prosecute 75 percent of all reported cases of violence on Native American land

Sexual violence prevention work that does not explicitly support the most marginalized and targeted groups of victims and survivors is inadequate. As a result, MAV must work to center the voices and needs of Native sexual violence survivors at Dartmouth and beyond. Furthermore, prevention work and education can often perpetuate colonialist oppression even when intentions are altruistic. Thus, anyone doing prevention/response work for Native survivors must be educated and thoughtful about systematic oppression and the specific history of violence against Indigenous groups in America. MAV has not historically displayed this sensitivity and education, but we are committed to changing.

More educational resources for non-Native or Native students looking to learn more about sexual violence in Native communities:


MAZE OF INJUSTICE: The failure to protect Indigenous women from sexual violence in the USA<http://www.wcsap.org/sites/default/files/uploads/working_with_survivors/cultural_considerations/Maze_Injustice_AmnestyReport.pdf>

This comprehensive Amnesty International report details the history of oppression against Native peoples that has led to such high rates of violence, as well as discussions of legal structures and policies and best practices for interventions and for providing resources and support.


RESEARCH REPORT NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE MAY 2016 Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men<https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/249736.pdf>

Report using data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey that includes statistics on violence against Native men, which are higher than national averages for violence against men.


The Facts on Violence Against American Indian/Alaskan Native Women<https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/userfiles/file/Violence%20Against%20AI%20AN%20Women%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf>

Cited statistics and info on this issue.

Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault in Native American Communities<http://ocadvsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Intimate-Partner-Violence-SA-in-Native-American-Communities.pdf>
Scholarly article that explores the prevalence of violence in Native communities as well as different modes of intervention and their levels of success.

Below we have provided resources for Native survivors:

Pathways to Healing: Tribal Resources<http://www.wcsap.org/sites/default/files/uploads/working_with_survivors/cultural_considerations/PathwaysToHealing-TribalResources-2012.pdf>
This Tribal directory is a resource for Native American/Alaska Native people to locate services within Tribal communities that provide support or resources when healing from violence.

National Indigenous Women's' Resource Center<http://www.niwrc.org/>
NIWRC supports culturally grounded, grassroots advocacy and provides national leadership to ending gender-based violence in Indigenous communities through the development of educational materials and programs, direct technical assistance, and the development of local and national policy that builds the capacity of Indigenous communities and strengthens the exercise of tribal sovereignty.

Mending the Sacred Hoop<http://mshoop.org/resources/brochures/>
Mending the Sacred Hoop is a Native owned and operated non-profit 501(c) 3 organization that exists to address violence against Native women and works to end it. This website includes links to resources and more information about supporting communities and survivors.

<http://www.home.tlpi.org/sexual-assault-publications>
Tribal Law and Policy Institute: Sexual Assault Publications<http://www.home.tlpi.org/sexual-assault-publications> and Violence Against Native Women Publications<http://www.home.tlpi.org/violence-against-native-women-publicatio>


Movement Against Violence
Dartmouth College
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