Pretty Bird Woman House
Though it is seldom reported, Amnesty International reports that the incidence of sexual violence is unusually high among indigenous women (American Indian and Indigenous Alaskan women) in the United States.
According to Amnest International:
Over the past decade, federal government studies have consistently shown that American Indian and Alaska Native women experience much higher levels of sexual violence than other women in the USA. Data gathered by the US Department of Justice indicates that Native American and Alaska Native women are more than 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than women in the USA in general.
Even more disturbing, a large number (much larger than expected) of these assaults are carried out by non-indigenous (white) men. In short, men to come to the reservation because they know that women are living in isolation and are vulnerable.
Access to law enforcement for these women is severely restricted. Tribal police are often barred from investigating these crimes, and the FBI (which often has jurisdiction) is slow to respond. It can be days between reporting an assault and the arrival of any sort of investigator.
One group fighting this abuse of human rights is the staff at Pretty Bird Woman House on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation on the border of North and South Dakota. Pretty Bird Woman House was founded by Jackie Brown Otter after her sister, Pretty Bird Woman, was kidnapped, rapped and beaten to death.
You can read about Pretty Bird Woman House here.
You can read the Amnesty International report here.
Petty Bird Woman House is in dire need of funds to continue operating. Without assistance, they will be closing down within a week or two. So, if you can see your way clear to a donation, please consider it. It doesn't have to be much. Every penny counts.
According to Amnest International:
Over the past decade, federal government studies have consistently shown that American Indian and Alaska Native women experience much higher levels of sexual violence than other women in the USA. Data gathered by the US Department of Justice indicates that Native American and Alaska Native women are more than 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than women in the USA in general.
Even more disturbing, a large number (much larger than expected) of these assaults are carried out by non-indigenous (white) men. In short, men to come to the reservation because they know that women are living in isolation and are vulnerable.
Access to law enforcement for these women is severely restricted. Tribal police are often barred from investigating these crimes, and the FBI (which often has jurisdiction) is slow to respond. It can be days between reporting an assault and the arrival of any sort of investigator.
One group fighting this abuse of human rights is the staff at Pretty Bird Woman House on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation on the border of North and South Dakota. Pretty Bird Woman House was founded by Jackie Brown Otter after her sister, Pretty Bird Woman, was kidnapped, rapped and beaten to death.
You can read about Pretty Bird Woman House here.
You can read the Amnesty International report here.
Petty Bird Woman House is in dire need of funds to continue operating. Without assistance, they will be closing down within a week or two. So, if you can see your way clear to a donation, please consider it. It doesn't have to be much. Every penny counts.