Nebraska tribes face sexual assault problems

Monday, May 21, 2007  

Women on two Nebraska reservations have few options if they are sexually assaulted, The Sioux City Journal reports.

There are no rape counseling services for women on the Winnebago Reservation or the Omaha Reservation. The Indian Health Service hospital that serves both reservation isn't certified to perform rape kit exams, Elizabeth White of the Winnebago Tribe's domestic violence program said.

Offenders on the Winnebago Reservation can't be held anywhere because the tribe lacks a jail. Although only a few incidents of sexual assault have been reported this year, White said the problem is larger.

"I know it's happening more often than that," she told the Journal.

On the Omaha Reservation, 439 people were arrested for sexual assault crimes in 2005 and 2006. "It's getting to the point where our people are believing it's a norm," Gwen Porter of the Rainmaker project said.

Get the Story:
Tribes working to combat sex assaults (The Sioux City Journal 5/20)

Amnesty International Report:
Full Report | Press Release

Online Discussion:
Violence against Native American and Alaska Native Women (April 24, 2007)

Relevant Links:
Join Voices with Native American and Alaska Native Women and Take Action to Stop the Violence - http://www.amnestyusa.org/maze

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