A shirt from the Shatter the Silence of Sexual Violence with statistics about violence and sexual assault in Indian Country. Photo from Nez Perce Tribe Social Services
The Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho hosted the Shatter the Silence of Sexual Violence conference last month. Participants received training on ways to address sexual abuse against women and against children. The focus was on prevention in hopes of reversing high rates of violence in Indian Country. "What we're trying to get out is that it can be prevented,” child social worker Jeanette Pinkham told Public News Service. “We don't to have be the aftermath sort of program. We can also work to prevent." Lisa Brunner, a prominent advocate and survivor from the White Earth Nation, was one of the presenters at the event. She was instrumental in securing passage of the Violence Against Women Act, the 2013 law that recognizes tribal jurisdiction over non-Indian offenders in certain situations and for certain crimes. “It’s happening every day," Brunner told PBS Newshour of crimes against Native women and children. The law does not recognize tribal authority over non-Indians who commit rapes. It also only covers non-Indians who live in Indian Country and have ties to the Indian community. Get the Story:
Nez Perce Tribal Members Trained to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (Public News Service 9/8)
Tribal Justice: Prosecuting non-Natives for sexual assault on reservations (PBS Newshour 9/5)
Join the Conversation
Related Stories:Maine tribes denied seat at table in law enforcement matters (08/04)
Alaska to recognize tribal domestic violence protection orders (07/31)
Congress fails to provide funds to help tribes comply with VAWA (07/29)
Ambassador Harper discusses violence against indigenous women (07/09)
Native Sun News: Oglala leader blames deaths on domestic violence (07/06)
Eastern Cherokees assert authority in all domestic violence cases (06/16)
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate ready to exercise VAWA jurisdiction (05/22)
Pascua Yaqui Tribe hosts Violence Against Women Act training (05/20)
Bill allows Maine tribes to follow VAWA jurisdiction provisions (05/12)
Native Sun News: Tribes meet to discuss VAWA implementation (04/10)
California Indian Legal Services announces new VAWA project (04/06)
US Attorneys host tribes for Violence Against Women Act session (04/02)
Pascua Yaqui Tribe prosecutes 19 non-Indian cases with VAWA (03/20)
LTBB News: Little Traverse Bay Bands to exercise VAWA power (03/19)
Eastern Cherokees make changes to exercise VAWA authority (03/18)
Tribes in Montana still looking at jurisdiction provisions in VAWA (03/13)
Fort Peck Tribes ready to exercise VAWA power over non-Indians (03/12)
White House Blog: Tribes make communities safer with VAWA (03/11)
Tribes in pilot project filed 26 VAWA cases against non-Indians (03/10)
Tribes reach key milestone with jurisdiction provisions of VAWA (03/09)