The internet can be a helpful support tool in finding information and resources. Here are some helpful links to culturally-appropriate organizations, publications and related resources:
Online Publications and Books
- Safety for Native Women: VAWA and American Indian Tribes – Jacqueline Agtuca & Dorma Sahneyah
- Violence Against Native Women is Not Traditional booklet from the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, originally from Sacred Circle National Resource Center to End Violence Against Native Women
- When the Legal System Fails You – Womenslaw.org
- Getting Free: A Handbook for Women in Abusive Relationships – Ginny NiCarthy
- The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize It and How to Respond – Patricia Evans
- Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men – Lundy Bancroft
- The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America – Sarah Deer
- Sharing Our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence – Sarah Deer
- Healing the Trauma of Domestic Violence: A Workbook for Women – Mari McCaig & Edward S. Kubany
- Advocate! Beyond Shelter Doors Newsletter from the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
- Violence Against Native Women is Not Traditional video – Whisper Kish
- Turtle Talk blog from the Indigenous Law and Policy Center at Michigan State University
- Talking to Children about Domestic Violence from the National Domestic Violence Hotline Blog
- Blog from the National Domestic Violence Hotline
Organizations
- National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) for information and resources to support tribes in responding to violence in tribal communities, advocates for tribal sovereignty and safety in Native communities, no direct services provided
- Native Love, a Native youth-oriented NIWRC project focused on healthy relationships and dating violence
- Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center (AKNWRC) for information and resources on ending violence against Alaska Natives, advocates for the safety of women and children in their communities and homes
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
Tribal Coalitions
- Yupik Women’s Coalition – AK
- Hopi-Tewa Women’s Coalition to End Abuse – AZ
- Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition – AZ
- Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition – CA
- Native Women’s Coalition – ID
- Wabanaki Women’s Coalition – ME
- Uniting Three Fires Against Violence – MI
- Mending the Sacred Hoop – MN
- Montana Native Women’s Coalition – MT
- First Nations Women’s Alliance – ND
- Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women – NM
- Seven Dancers Coalition – NY
- Native Alliance Against Violence – OK
- Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains – SD
- Restoring Ancestral Winds – UT
- Women Spirit Coalition – WA
- American Indians Against Abuse – WI
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The StrongHearts site has links to other agencies and materials. Users are subject to that site’s privacy policy when leaving the StrongHearts site. Additionally, StrongHearts is not responsible for the resources and information provided through any “off-site” web page referenced on this site. Some of the information may be outdated at the time you are accessing it. We do not make any representations regarding the content or accuracy of materials on such websites, so users are advised to access these websites and links solely at their own risk.
At the StrongHearts Native Helpline, advocates are trained to speak with people who identify as abusive or who are concerned about their behavior. Every caller is treated with dignity and respect.
StrongHearts advocates speak with people who are concerned about their behavior because we support anyone who wants to take responsibility for their actions. Every call from someone who is beginning to recognize their unhealthy behavior is an opportunity to plant a seed for change and to begin healing.
If you’re looking for someone to speak with about your concerns, StrongHearts advocates are a great option. They will listen without judgment and can help you figure out what’s going on in your relationship. Acknowledging the abuse is the first step toward healing. Speak with a StrongHearts advocate by calling 1-844-7NATIVE (1-844-762-8483) Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CST. Callers after hours will have the option to connect with the National Domestic Violence Hotline or to call back the next business day.
Note: At StrongHearts, we do not recommend couples counseling or anger management for abusers to learn about and stop their abusive patterns. However, these can oftentimes helpfully supplement a batterer intervention program once the person who uses abuse has successfully completed a batterer intervention program and has demonstrated significant reduction in using abusive tactics.
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Materials Available for Download
The materials below are available for you to download and print.
For generations, American Indians and Alaska Natives have struggled against and from under the effects of colonization, inadequate resources, marginalization, termination and assimilation and a lack of acknowledgement of the role that history has played in our continued hurt.
Many Native and non-Native domestic violence experts agree that the prevalence of violence in Indian Country is a modern effect of the historical trauma that our people continue to experience. The extent of domestic violence in tribal communities is particularly overwhelming.
The National Institute of Justice recently released a study analyzing data collected in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Partner Survey. The study found that more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women had experienced violence in their lifetime, and one in three had experienced violence within the past year.
The report also found that among Native American people:
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- More than 56 percent had experienced sexual violence
- More than 55 percent had experienced intimate partner violence
- Nearly half had experienced stalking, and at least two in three had experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner
- Of the estimated 1.5 million Native women who had experienced violence, 97 percent of the violence was committed by a non-Native perpetrator (ex. individuals of other races)
The study also examined how this violence affects our tribal communities and Native survivors. For American Indian and Alaska Native people, the study found:
- Two in three women and a quarter of men had expressed safety concerns in their relationships
- 41.4 percent of women and 20.3 percent of men had been physically harmed
- Half of women and nearly one in five men stated they needed victim services
With few options and supportive resources, Native American victims of abuse often go without assistance. Our goal at the StrongHearts Native Helpline is to provide culturally-appropriate support, referrals and safety planning for Native people by knowledgeable Native advocates.
While it is important to acknowledge that American Indian and Alaska Native women experience some of the highest rates of physical and sexual violence in the nation, it is also important to understand that Native women have not always been the targets of abuse. Before colonization, abuse and domestic violence against Native women was rare in tribal communities.
Equally important is acknowledging the existence of Native women as the backbone of our families and tribal communities. For generations, our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and daughters have played a major role in maintaining our culture and protecting our families. They are our healers, caretakers, protectors, warriors and leaders.
