Home > News > Headlines

Print   Subscribe

Jodi Rave: Series on violence against Native women
Monday, September 25, 2006

"It can take months before some of the boarding school girls trust Leona Kitto enough to reveal their stories of abuse.

She won't reveal details or names. But she cries when she thinks of their stories - and how they mirror her own.

She holds the girls, and she tells them: “That feeling will never go away. But we still got to heal and we got to go on.”

Leona wiped tears from her eyes as she sat in the Wholeness Center, a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter in Flandreau.

“I went through that in my younger days,” she said. “It's a hard feeling. I'll cry every time. But that crying kind of heals me. I learned to think that way. We have to let the hurt feelings out.”

Most of the students at the Flandreau Indian School call this 66-year-old woman Grandma. They've come to know the dorm assistant who covers the 3 p.m.-to-midnight shift.

Leona isn't a counselor, but in the evening hours, it's just her and the girls, alone with their feelings.

Leona understands their stories of sexual and physical violence at home. She was beaten by her mother and sexually abused by male relatives."

Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: Leona Kitto's tears tell a painful story, but they help heal the girls she comforts (The Missoulian 9/24)
South Dakota tribal-city police department a national model for handling domestic abuse (The Missoulian 9/24)

Relevant Links:
Jodi Rave - http://www.missoulian.com/jodirave

Related Stories:
Jodi Rave: Series on violence against Native women (9/22)
Jodi Rave: Series on violence against Native women (9/18)
Jodi Rave: More Native students enter college (9/11)
Jodi Rave: Campaign seeks Native marrow donors (9/6)
Jodi Rave: Sharing tribal histories of Sacagawea (9/5)
Jodi Rave: Native athletic events an inspiration (8/28)
Jodi Rave: Cultural revival on the reservation (8/21)
Jodi Rave: Accurate media coverage of Natives (8/10)
Jodi Rave: From the Chickasaw Nation to Broadway (8/7)
Jodi Rave: Indigenous summit at base of Bear Butte (8/1)
Jodi Rave: Fire Thunder steps into ring of fire (7/31)
Jodi Rave: Dangerous policy on Native ancestors (7/28)
Jodi Rave: Cobell worried about settlement legislation (7/24)
Jodi Rave: Documentary explores Indian land (7/24)
Jodi Rave: Gathering celebrates Native women warriors (7/17)
Jodi Rave: HUD releases block grants for tribes (7/10)
Jodi Rave: Montana Natives win at Indigenous Games (7/7)
Jodi Rave: Indigenous Games kick off in Colorado (7/4)
Jodi Rave: Indigenous Games propel indigenous rights (7/3)
Jodi Rave: Tribal housing hurt by HUD decision (6/29)
Jodi Rave: Passing on the stories of the people (6/26)
Jodi Rave: Ulali carries on singing tradition (6/20)
Jodi Rave: Churchill fabricated history of my people (6/19)
Jodi Rave: Native family gets help with first home (6/12)
Jodi Rave: Express tribal identity at graduation (5/30)
Jodi Rave: Trendsetters at UM Indian journalism (5/22)
Jodi Rave: Immigrant marchers belong to Native America (05/08)
Jodi Rave: Tribes alarmed at trust reform initiative (04/03)
Jodi Rave: Racial tensions in border communities (04/03)
Jodi Rave: Program to help Natives in legal system (02/14)
Jodi Rave: Tribal employee admits to fraud in Iraq (2/13)
Jodi Rave: Tribal political donations debated (2/9)
Jodi Rave: Native people object to school mascots (2/6)
Jodi Rave: Garcia calls for settlement of Cobell (2/3)
Jodi Rave: Native conservation a focus of conference (2/2)
Jodi Rave: Chippewa Cree artist honored for work (1/27)
Jodi Rave: HUD loans a success in Indian Country (1/23)
Jodi Rave: Burns to celebrate birthday with lobbyists (1/19)
Jodi Rave: Sen. Burns ignored Cobell, tribal issues (1/17)
Jodi Rave: King speech still matters to Indians (1/16)
Jodi Rave: Black Indians struggle for acceptance (12/05)
Jodi Rave: Deloria represented human adventure (11/17)
Jodi Rave: Applause for Gov. Schweitzer at NCAI (11/07)
Jodi Rave: Natives pay for health care with lives (10/24)
Jodi Rave: Group to propose Tribal Justice Act (10/10)
Jodi Rave: Blackfeet citizens invest in their future (10/03)
Jodi Rave: Media needs more Native journalists (9/23)
Jodi Rave: Indian Country guide an essential tool (09/13)
Jodi Rave: Free press in Indian Country a big issue (08/15)
Jodi Rave: The best fry bread in Indian Country? (7/29)
Jodi Rave: Tragedy on the Red Lake Reservation (07/11)
Jodi Rave: Blackfeet opera lacks authenticity (07/11)
Jodi Rave: Reporting on reservations is improving (06/02)
Jodi Rave: Hope remains after mother's passing (05/11)
Jodi Rave: Fewer and fewer Indians in newsrooms (04/25)
Jodi Rave: 'No Media' sign at Red Lake not for me (04/14)
Jodi Rave: Indians don't pay taxes and other myths (03/11)
Jodi Rave: Deloria unknown because he's Indian (01/24)
Jodi Rave: Native participation needed in politics (01/10)
Jodi Rave: What was 'Kokopelli' professor thinking? (12/15)
Jodi Rave Lee: It feels good to be a grandmother (11/23)
Jodi Rave: Native veterans denied home loans (11/11)
Jodi Rave: Indian issues need more than a month (11/9)
Jodi Rave Lee: Protecting rights of Native voters (11/04)
Jodi Rave Lee: Trail tells story of Nez Perce (10/12)
Jodi Rave: Mixed emotions surround NMAI opening (09/27)
Jodi Rave Lee: Native image on coin inspires pride (09/14)
Jodi Rave Lee: Indians, Iraqis have much in common (08/30)
Jodi Rave Lee: Gag order sign of poor leadership (08/09)
Jodi Rave Lee: Native presence can't be denied (08/02)
Jodi Rave Lee: Warrior spirit gives Natives hope (07/06)

Copyright © 2000-2006 Indianz.Com