WASHINGTON — On March 16, President Joe Biden signed into law the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) which recognizes expanded jurisdiction for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes to protect their communities from domestic and sexual violence.
“It is fitting that this important legislation was passed during Women’s History Month, as it will help combat the epidemic levels of gender-based violence that stands in the way of equality in our society,” said U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “We have made substantial progress since I worked on the original VAWA in Congress in the 1990s, but VAWA’s programs, protections, and new initiatives remain critical to address unmet needs in our communities.”
The Navajo Nation administration and council applauded the reauthorization. In 1994, VAWA was enacted to support domestic and sexual violence survivors. The law provides federal resources and technical support for programs to help victims, including children, youth, elders, person with disabilities and American Indians who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said one of the strengths of the act is its specific provisions which strengthen tribal governments, which will ensure that survivors on the Navajo Nation receive the resources they deserve.
“The reauthorization combats crimes by assisting domestic violence prevention, protecting survivors, and promoting safer tribal communities for women, children and families,” Nez said.
The law gives tribes the authority to prosecute non-Natives who assault tribal law enforcement personnel and requires non-Native defendants to exhaust all tribal court remedies before appealing to federal court.
“We are grateful for our Navajo law enforcement who are working hard with limited resources to keep communities safe. This bipartisan law sends a message to survivors and the families of victims that we are committed to protecting our women, people with disabilities, and our LGBTQ+ family members,” said Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon.
The VAWA reauthorization includes the extension of tribal jurisdiction over non-Native perpetrators of sexual violence, sex trafficking, stalking, child violence, and obstruction of justice. The funding also assists with information sharing and the cost of implementation of the greater jurisdiction.
Council Delegate Amber Crotty said the act empowers women and children across Indian Country.
“The reason that many people struggle to leave abusive situations is they are made to feel worthless or are silenced,” she said. “Survivors must feel supported and empowered to move forward in life. Our Navajo women are the matriarchs who raise our families and they should be protected.”
VAWA also enacts the following:
Reestablishes the Tribal Prisoner Program, which allows some offenders convicted in tribal courts to be held in federal prisons.
Improves the Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors (STOP) grant program to support responding law enforcement and require prosecutors to include best practices.
Significantly increases the authorized amount of grant funding to support domestic violence prevention and response organizations that provide victim services.
Reauthorizes funding for violence reduction and prevention programs.
Directly tackles the shortage of health professionals who perform medical sexual assault forensic examinations.
Expands access to safe housing for victims.
Increases enforcement of cybercrimes and supporting victims of “revenge porn.”
Increases authorized funding for responses to child abuse and child sex crimes.
Navajo Nation creates Tribal Community Response Plan to find solutions to Nation’s missing persons
The Tribal Community Response Plan (TCRP) will guide how the Navajo Nation and its partners will build response, capacity, collaboration and support for missing persons on the Navajo Nation. It includes four components: law enforcement response, victim support services, media strategies and integration of community-based resources.
“Many families know the personal heartbreak and trauma of missing loved ones on the Navajo Nation and throughout Indian Country. Multiple jurisdiction systems have historically failed the victims, their families and survivors,” Nez said. “Reporting, collecting, and sharing missing persons data among various jurisdictions characterizes this problem’s true scope. Today, we have to set a new tone of hope on this issue that impacts our homes and tribal communities. The Navajo Nation and our local, state, and federal partners agree that we need to reunite, restore and heal our families and communities.”
Additionally, Dr. Edward Bartlett, founder of the Coalition to End Domestic Violence, wants to make sure men are included when talking about missing and murdered people.
“All too often the issue of missing or murdered Indigenous people focuses only on women,” he said. “In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that 75 percent of American Indian homicide victims are men.”
While that is true, the report on homicides of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) from 2003-2018, described the different characteristics of the homicides. The report said the homicide rate for men was higher than the rate for females and interpersonal conflict was the predominate circumstance, with nearly half of the homicides precipitated by an argument. For female victims, most were precipitated by intimate partner violence.
“The results of this study provide further evidence that violence against AI/AN women is an issue of urgent concern,” the report said. “IPV was a contributing factor in nearly half of the homicides of AI/AN females. Rape or sexual assault occurred in nearly one third of IPV-related homicides precipitated by another serious crime. Data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey and National Crime Victimization Survey indicate that AI/AN women experience higher rates of rape and sexual assault, physical assault, and stalking than women of other racial/ethnic groups.”
The report emphasizes that homicides of men, particularly among youths and young adults, contribute to the many American Indian and Alaska Native homicides.
“AI/AN communities can strengthen, evaluate and adapt existing programs created specifically to address violence among AI/AN males,” the report stated, pointing to specific programs in different states that emphasize “healthy masculinity, healthy relationships, non-violent problem solving and being an active bystander.”
Recently, the Navajo Nation Council hosted a march in Kayenta to help to raise awareness surrounding these issues.
Council Delegate Nathaniel Brown said the march helped to bring a voice to the families searching for missing relatives and to tell the stories of the victims that never returned home.
“In the Navajo language, there is no word for human trafficking, the missing and the inhumane violence experienced,” he said. “Access to support groups, onsite counseling, victim advocates and traditional medicine is important for families to heal from this trauma. We need to go back and teach our young men about the sweat lodge ceremonies and the sacredness of our matriarchs. Our male coming of age ceremonies have lessons for our young men on their roles in Navajo society. Navajo men have to reclaim traditional teachings and protect our women from violence.”
More information, including the CDC report can be found at the www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/ss/ss7008a1.
WASHINGTON — On March 16, President Joe Biden signed into law the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) which recognizes expanded jurisdiction for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes to protect their communities from domestic and sexual violence.
“It is fitting that this important legislation was passed during Women’s History Month, as it will help combat the epidemic levels of gender-based violence that stands in the way of equality in our society,” said U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “We have made substantial progress since I worked on the original VAWA in Congress in the 1990s, but VAWA’s programs, protections, and new initiatives remain critical to address unmet needs in our communities.”
The Navajo Nation administration and council applauded the reauthorization. In 1994, VAWA was enacted to support domestic and sexual violence survivors. The law provides federal resources and technical support for programs to help victims, including children, youth, elders, person with disabilities and American Indians who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said one of the strengths of the act is its specific provisions which strengthen tribal governments, which will ensure that survivors on the Navajo Nation receive the resources they deserve.
“The reauthorization combats crimes by assisting domestic violence prevention, protecting survivors, and promoting safer tribal communities for women, children and families,” Nez said.
The law gives tribes the authority to prosecute non-Natives who assault tribal law enforcement personnel and requires non-Native defendants to exhaust all tribal court remedies before appealing to federal court.
“We are grateful for our Navajo law enforcement who are working hard with limited resources to keep communities safe. This bipartisan law sends a message to survivors and the families of victims that we are committed to protecting our women, people with disabilities, and our LGBTQ+ family members,” said Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon.
The VAWA reauthorization includes the extension of tribal jurisdiction over non-Native perpetrators of sexual violence, sex trafficking, stalking, child violence, and obstruction of justice. The funding also assists with information sharing and the cost of implementation of the greater jurisdiction.
Council Delegate Amber Crotty said the act empowers women and children across Indian Country.
“The reason that many people struggle to leave abusive situations is they are made to feel worthless or are silenced,” she said. “Survivors must feel supported and empowered to move forward in life. Our Navajo women are the matriarchs who raise our families and they should be protected.”
VAWA also enacts the following:
Reestablishes the Tribal Prisoner Program, which allows some offenders convicted in tribal courts to be held in federal prisons.
Improves the Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors (STOP) grant program to support responding law enforcement and require prosecutors to include best practices.
Significantly increases the authorized amount of grant funding to support domestic violence prevention and response organizations that provide victim services.
Reauthorizes funding for violence reduction and prevention programs.
Directly tackles the shortage of health professionals who perform medical sexual assault forensic examinations.
Expands access to safe housing for victims.
Increases enforcement of cybercrimes and supporting victims of “revenge porn.”
Increases authorized funding for responses to child abuse and child sex crimes.
Navajo Nation creates Tribal Community Response Plan to find solutions to Nation’s missing persons
The Tribal Community Response Plan (TCRP) will guide how the Navajo Nation and its partners will build response, capacity, collaboration and support for missing persons on the Navajo Nation. It includes four components: law enforcement response, victim support services, media strategies and integration of community-based resources.
“Many families know the personal heartbreak and trauma of missing loved ones on the Navajo Nation and throughout Indian Country. Multiple jurisdiction systems have historically failed the victims, their families and survivors,” Nez said. “Reporting, collecting, and sharing missing persons data among various jurisdictions characterizes this problem’s true scope. Today, we have to set a new tone of hope on this issue that impacts our homes and tribal communities. The Navajo Nation and our local, state, and federal partners agree that we need to reunite, restore and heal our families and communities.”
Additionally, Dr. Edward Bartlett, founder of the Coalition to End Domestic Violence, wants to make sure men are included when talking about missing and murdered people.
“All too often the issue of missing or murdered Indigenous people focuses only on women,” he said. “In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that 75 percent of American Indian homicide victims are men.”
While that is true, the report on homicides of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) from 2003-2018, described the different characteristics of the homicides. The report said the homicide rate for men was higher than the rate for females and interpersonal conflict was the predominate circumstance, with nearly half of the homicides precipitated by an argument. For female victims, most were precipitated by intimate partner violence.
“The results of this study provide further evidence that violence against AI/AN women is an issue of urgent concern,” the report said. “IPV was a contributing factor in nearly half of the homicides of AI/AN females. Rape or sexual assault occurred in nearly one third of IPV-related homicides precipitated by another serious crime. Data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey and National Crime Victimization Survey indicate that AI/AN women experience higher rates of rape and sexual assault, physical assault, and stalking than women of other racial/ethnic groups.”
The report emphasizes that homicides of men, particularly among youths and young adults, contribute to the many American Indian and Alaska Native homicides.
“AI/AN communities can strengthen, evaluate and adapt existing programs created specifically to address violence among AI/AN males,” the report stated, pointing to specific programs in different states that emphasize “healthy masculinity, healthy relationships, non-violent problem solving and being an active bystander.”
Recently, the Navajo Nation Council hosted a march in Kayenta to help to raise awareness surrounding these issues.
Council Delegate Nathaniel Brown said the march helped to bring a voice to the families searching for missing relatives and to tell the stories of the victims that never returned home.
“In the Navajo language, there is no word for human trafficking, the missing and the inhumane violence experienced,” he said. “Access to support groups, onsite counseling, victim advocates and traditional medicine is important for families to heal from this trauma. We need to go back and teach our young men about the sweat lodge ceremonies and the sacredness of our matriarchs. Our male coming of age ceremonies have lessons for our young men on their roles in Navajo society. Navajo men have to reclaim traditional teachings and protect our women from violence.”
More information, including the CDC report can be found at the www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/ss/ss7008a1.