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TorrieEagleStaff
Rodgers,Yonamine,Washington
SeniorInquiry
23May2016
RegulatingSexualViolence
Imagineforamomentoneoftheworstthingsthatcouldhappentoyou,happens:
beingsexuallyassaulted.Whatcomesnextisaseriesofchallengesyoumay
encounter,eachchallengeweighingheavilyuponwhetheryoureceivejusticeornot.
Forinstance,youcouldbeforcedtoseeyourperpetratoralmosteverydaybecausehe
happenstobeyouruncle,boyfriend,orfamilyfriendlivingintheplaceyoucallhome.
Youhappentobeveryreliantonthepeopleyoulivewithandyouhavenocarormoney
toescapeyoualsohavelivedonthereservationyourwholelifeandhaveno
connectionsoutsideofthereservation.Also,thereisnopointingoingtothepolice
becausetherearenoavailableclinicsthatprovidesarapeevaluationthatcould
determineyourrapist.Lastly,ifyourrapistwasnotfromthereservation,thetribalcourt
cannotdoanythingtoprosecutehim.Survivorsofsexualassaultonruralreservations
areburdenedwiththesechallenges.Itislikebeingrevictimizedseveraltimesafterthe
initialassaulttheyoftenfeelhopeless.ThesearecommonscenariosonNative
AmericanReservations.SexualassaultagainstNativewomenisatanastonishing10%
higherratethananyotherraceintheUnitedStates(VictimServices).Inordertotackle
thisepidemicofsexualviolenceinNativecommunities,thesecommunitieshavetaken
essentialinitiativetoprovidecarefornumerousvictimsofsexualassault.Theprimary

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needsareshelters,rapekits,andbetterprosecutionforsexualviolenceonthe
reservation.However,ahugelackoffundinghaslimitedtheamountofresources
availabletohelpvictimsofsexualassaultonruralreservations.
Firstofall,theUnitedStatesSupremeCourthasupheldtheopinionthattribal
governmentsarenotallowedtoprosecutenonIndians(TheFactsonViolence).Given
thatmostperpetrators[ofsexualassault]arenonIndianatleast86%arenonNative,
prosecutingperpetratorsofsexualassaultisextremelydifficult(Neilson62).Native
Americanwomenlivingonruralreservationsarebeingrapedandsexuallyassaultedby
menthatarenotfromtheirreservationandrapistsaregettingawaywithithence,
victimizingwomenyetagain.Whentheperpetratorisnotprosecuted,womenonthe
reservationareforcedtoseetheirperpetratoreverydayfurther,theperpetratorismost
likelygoingtocommitthesamecrimetoanotherpersonandstillwillnotbeheld
accountablefortheiractions.SincethereisalargepercentageofnonIndians
assaultingNativewomentheremustbeawaytribalcourtsshouldbeabletoprosecute
nonIndians.
TribalcourtshaveadvocatedfortheauthoritytoprosecutenonNativesandhave
beensuccessfulinprosecutingnonNativeswithconnectiontoIndianCountry.In2013
CongresspassedtheViolenceAgainstWomenReauthorizationAct.Thisactgave
tribestheauthoritytoprosecutesomenonNativesintribalcourtandsentencethemup
tonineyearsinjail.However,Itonlyprotectswomenfromtheirhusbandsorboyfriends,
notfromstrangers(Morales).ThisisagoodstartbutweneedCongresstoestablishan
actthatallowstribalcourtstoprosecuteallperpetrators/rapists,notjustintimate

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partners.Althoughtribeshavemadeprogressinprosecutionforsexualassaultby
nonNatives,thereisstillaneedforseriousimprovement.Theproblemisfinding
fundingtoestablishactsfortherightsoftribalcourts:
Ascitizensofparticulartribalnations,thewelfareandsafetyofAmericanIndianand
AlaskaNativewomenaredirectlylinkedtotheauthorityandcapacityoftheirnationsto
addresssuchviolence...Ithasbeencompoundedbythefederalgovernmentschronic
underresourcingofthoselawenforcementagenciesandserviceproviderswhichshould
protectIndigenouswomenfromsexualviolence(AmnestyInternational,12).

Inotherwords,tribalnationsneedfundingfromthefederalgovernmentinorderfortheir
lawenforcementagenciesandserviceproviderstoprotectNativewomenonrural
reservationsfromsexualviolence.
Anotherwaythatsurvivorsofsexualassaultencounterbarrierstohelpis
isolation.InSouthDakota,47%ofthehomelesspopulationareNativeAmerican,while
NativeAmericansonlymakeupabout8.8%oftheoverallSouthDakotapopulation
(SouthDakota).Overathirdofthishomelesspopulationarehomelessduetodomestic
violence.Anotherthirdofthishomelesspopulationareforcedtodoubleupwithother
people,meaningthattheyhavetoliveincrowdedhouseholdswithotherfamilies
(SouthDakotaStateDept
.
).Thecommonscenarioonmanyreservationsinevery
stateisthattherearemultiplefamilieslivinginonehousehold.Thereisalackof
housingonthereservations,letalone,shelters.MostsheltersspecificallyinSouth
Dakotaarelocatedinthecitiesandbigtownsoftenhoursawayfromthereservation.
ThisisaproblembecauseitcreatesnoescapefromsexualviolenceIfyourunclethat
staysinadoubleuphouseholdwithyousexuallyassaultedyou,youcouldbeforcedto

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stayininthathouseholdwithyourperpetratorbecausethereisoftennowhereelseto
go.Ifitisyourhusbandorboyfriendthatyourelyon,itcouldbedifficulttoleaveifhe
hasthemoneyandcarthatcouldgetyoutoashelter.Thereneedstobeanaccessible
shelteronthereservationthathelpswomenescapefromtheirperpetratorandstandon
theirown.
Fundingisneededtoestablishsheltersonreservations.Fortunately,therehas
beensomefundingprovidedtoIndianTribalGovernmentProgramsthelandmark
AmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentActof2009hasprovidedtheJustice
DepartmentsOfficeonViolenceAgainstWomen(OVW)with$20.8millionforthe
IndianTribalGovernmentsProgramtodecreasethenumberofviolentcrimes
committedagainstIndianwomen(PBPVFamilyViolenceProtectionProgram).In
Mississippi,ChoctawIndianshavebeenawarded$899,999tomeettheneedsof
domesticviolenceandsexualassaultbyprovidingashelteronChoctaw
reservations.
Thetribeisusingthismoneytoprovidetrainingtoshelterstaffandlaw
enforcementinordertoprovideculturallyappropriateservicesforvictimsofdomestic
violenceandsexualassault.Similarly,theseactionshavebeentakeninOklahoma,
Kansas,California,andMontana.

Thissolutionisstilldisproportionatelyfunded
becausethegoalistoprovidesheltersallacrossIndiancountry,notjustinfivestates.
Additionally,thefundingisonlytolastashort36months(PBPVFamilyViolence
ProtectionProgram).Thereistoomuchthatneedstobedoneonthereservationto
tacklesexualviolencethatcannotbedonein36months.

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Fundingdisparitiesinmedicalresourceshasalsomadeitdifficulttoprosecute
perpetratorswhodohaveconnectionwithIndianCountrybecausethisiswherecrucial
evidenceisobtained.CourtsrelyonDNAevidencetoprosecuterapistswhichis
collectedthroughrapekits.Thereisahugeneedforrapeexamsonreservationsand
IndianHealthServicesareinconsistentwithprovidingrapeexams(Clairmont).
Furthermore,inorderforarapeexamtoworkefficiently,itneedstooccuralmost
immediatelyaftertheincident.YetNativesliveoftenseveralmilesfrommedical
servicesInfact,SexualassaultvictimsontheRosebudReservationinSouthDakota
reportthatlocalvictimsofsexualassaultarebeingdivertedfromtheRosebudHospital
tooffreservationhospitalslocatedupto100milesaway(Pember).Thereneedstobe
alocalresourcethatNativewomencangotoforhelprightaway.Ifshedoesnothave
physicalevidence,itisplausiblethattheperpetratormaynotbeprosecuted.Another
problemtothissituationisthatsometimesitistraumatictogogetafullbodyexamby
strangersrightafterbeingsexuallyassaulted.Mosttribaltraditionsteachwomento
keeptheirbodiessacred.Thereisaneedforserviceproviderstobeawareoftribally
specificapproaches.

Sexualassaultvictimsonreservationsneedaplacetheycantrust
toprovidethemwithrapeexaminationsandadequatemedicalcare.
Fortunately,SexualAssaultResponseTeamsknownasSARTareavailableto
tribalcommunities.SARTconsistsofacoalitionofagenciessuchasvictimadvocates,
forensicscientist,prosecutorsandmanyothersthatservesexualassaultvictims
(SexualAssault).DevelopingtribalSARTprogramsmaybeintensive,requiringa
greatdealofcommitmentbutcouldhavemanybenefitsofvictims.Benefitsinclude,

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increasedreportingandconvictionrates,immediateresponse,andtimely,thorough,
andprofessionalmedicalevaluation,treatment,andforensicevidence(Clairmont).
TherearealsomanyotherbenefitsofSARTotherthanmedicaltreatmenttohelp
prosecutionrates.ThedelayingettingSARTprogramsestablishedonreservation
communitiesislackofstatistics,fundingforequipment,medication,supplies,and
training,andlackofspace.Ithasalsobeendifficulttogetpeopleinpowersuchaslaw
enforcementjurisdictionanddecisionmakersinvolved.SARTalonecouldhelpreduce
therateofsexaulassaultinNativecommunitieswiththeresourcesitprovidestribes
justneedthefunding.
TheprimaryhindrancetoreducingthehighrateofsexualassaultinNative
communitiesisprosecutingtheperpetratorsandprovidinghelpandresourcestothe
victims.OneofthebiggestissueshashistoricallybeenprosecutingnonNative
perpetratorsandthesolutiontothisissuehasbeensuccessfulatbeingableto
prosecutenonNativehusbandsandboyfriendsofNativeWomen.Thishasonlybeen
onestepforwardandknowingthiscouldbeaccomplished,thenextstepwillbehaving
theauthoritytoprosecuteallperpetrators.Thecommunitystillneedstoadvocatefor
tribalauthoritytobeabletoprosecuteallnonNativesexoffenderswhocontinueto
repeattheircrime.Anotherissueisfindingasafeplaceforvictimstoescapetheir
perpetrators.Therehavebeensheltersprovidedonmultiplereservationsinfive
differentstates,thegoalistofindfundingthatcouldplacesheltersonallreservations.
TherealsoneedstobefundingtoestablishSARTonreservationsSARTwillprovide
essentialandtimelymedicalcareandrapekitstovictimswhocannotmakeitto

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hospitalsthatareoftenhoursawayfromtheirhome.Additionally,actionstillneedstobe
takenuponissuesofvictimblamingattitudesbyserviceproviders,casesfallingthrough
cracks,lackofsexeducation,lackofsupportservices,lackofanonymity,andeconomic
barrierswithinNativeCommunities.Inordertoreceivefundingandsupport,National
decisionmakers,lawenforcementsjurisdictions,andtribalcourtsneedtotakeaction
andsupporttheIndigenouspeopleofthislandwhoaresufferingthemost.

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WorksCited
AmnestyInternational.
MazeofInjustice:ThefailuretoprotectIndigenouswomenfrom
sexualviolenceintheUSA.
AmnestyInternationalUSA.2007.

Clairmont,Bonnie."SexualAssaultResponseTeams."
SpringerReference

National
CenterforDomesticandSexualViolence
.TribalLawandPolicyInstitute,Sept.
2008.Web.24Apr.2016.

Morales,Laurel."NativeAmericansCanProsecuteNonNativesInTribalCourt."
FronterasDesk
.Fronteras,16Mar.2015.Web.25Apr.2016.

Neilson,MarianneO.andRobertA.Silverman"FindingTheirWay."
CriminalJusticein
NativeAmerica
.Ed.Illustrateded.UofArizona,62.2000.Print.25Apr.2016.

"PBPNFamilyViolencePreventionProgramReceivesDepartmentofJusticeAward."
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2009.Web.25Apr.2016.

Pember,MaryAnnette."SexualAssaultVictimsSufferingBecauseofReducedER
Hours."
IndianCountry
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Web.24Apr.2016.

"SouthDakotaQuickFacts."
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Commerce,1June2015.Web.20May2016.

SouthDakotaStateDept.ofEducationCulturalAffairs,Pierre,andEducational
ResourcesInformationCenter.
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Homeless,NotHopeless
.DistributedbyERICClearinghouse,1997.Web.14
Apr.2016.

"TheFactsonViolenceAgainstNativeAmerican/AlaskaNativeWomen."
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WithoutViolence
.2014.Web.03Apr.2016.

U.S.DepartmentofJustice."SexualAssaultResponseTeamDevelopment."
NSVRC
.
NationalSexualViolenceResourceCenter
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Women,2011.Web.20May2016.

USDepartmentoftheInterior."VictimServices."
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