Report details 'maze' Native women victims face

Wednesday, April 25, 2007  

Amnesty International released a report on Tuesday that details the "maze of injustice" that Native women face when they become victims of rape and sexual assault.

Native women are victimized at 2.5 times the rate of other racial and ethnic groups. Their attackers are more likely to be non-Native, according to government statistics.

But tribal governments are hindered by federal law and court decisions. They cannot prosecute non-Natives and they cannot impose a sentence greater than one year or fines of greater than $5,000.

State and federal governments can prosecute non-Indians. But Native women advocates say the crimes often go unprosecuted.

"Maze of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous women from sexual violence in the USA" focuses on three areas: Oklahoma, Alaska and the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North and South Dakota. It contains the stories of Native women victims and makes more than 50 recommendations to change the justice system.

Get the Story:
For Indian Victims of Sexual Assault, a Tangled Legal Path (The New York TImes 4/25)
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System faulted for high Alaskan Native rape rates (The Anchorage Daily News 4/25)
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Abuses run high against Native women (The Fairbanks Daily News Miner 4/25)
Indians face high risk of rape (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 4/25)
Where do they turn? (The Oklahoman 4/25)
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‘I'LL NEVER FORGET' (The Oklahoman 4/25)
Report: American Indian women face higher rate of sexual violence (The Yuma Sun 4/25)
'Rape with impunity' found (AP 4/25)
Study: American Indians' rape rates higher (AP 4/25)

Get the Report:
Full Report | Press Release

Online Discussion:
Violence against Native American and Alaska Native Women (April 24, 2007)

$rl Join Voices with Native American and Alaska Native Women and Take Action to Stop the Violence - http://www.amnestyusa.org/maze

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