Timothy Purdon: Stopping violence against Indian women

Monday, April 18, 2011  

"In the time since I was sworn in as North Dakota’s United States attorney on Aug. 24, 2010, I have traveled to the reservations to consult with the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold. Joined by others from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I consulted with tribal council members, tribal law enforcement, Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement, tribal social services, tribal court judges and staff, and tribal detention officials.

On March 16, the U.S. Attorney’s Office held a Tribal Listening Conference at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. We invited tribal leaders, as well as federal, state and local leaders, to come together to discuss the important issue of public safety in tribal communities. During all of these consultations, it has become apparent that sexual violence occurs far too often on the reservations in North Dakota.

There is one statistic that stands out for me above all others: A Native American female baby has a 1-in-3 chance of being sexually assaulted in her lifetime.

A statistic like this is not an American Indian problem; it is an American problem. It is not a Standing Rock or a Turtle Mountain problem; it is a North Dakota problem. As terrible as this statistic is on its face, a deeper look reveals another critical concern: Sexual assault remains one of the most under-reported crimes in America."

Get the Story:
US Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon: Help stop sexual violence in North Dakota tribal communities (The Grand Forks Herald 4/18)