Domestic Violence Shelters and Other Safe Space: What Is the Need and How Do We Meet It?

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Domestic Violence Shelters and Other Safe Space: What Is the Need and How Do We Meet It?

June 29, 2022 • Tami Truett Jerue, Brenda Hill, Linda Schwartz

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Indigenous women continue to be the most battered, sexually assaulted/raped, stalked, and murdered group in the United States. Yet there are approximately only 145 tribal/native domestic violence programs within the U.S., and of those only about 60 have shelters. This panel discussion will focus on critical questions about why there are so few domestic violence programs and shelters in Indian Country, and what prevents tribes from establishing and sustaining domestic violence programs? What are the alternatives in order to provide safe, consistent, and healing space and housing for survivors? How do we ensure the leadership of indigenous women and other survivors in this process?

Introduction to STTARS: Safety, Training, and Technical Assistance, Resources and Support, the Indig

June 28, 2022 • Caroline LaPorte, Gwendolyn Packard

STTARS- Indigenous Safe Housing Center at NIWRC was created to address the intersection of housing instability/homelessness and domestic violence. This session will introduce the Center, the importance of our work, our approach, and upcoming events and activities. We will provide information about the National Workgroup for Safe Housing for American Indians and Alaska Native Survivors of Gender-Based Violence and share copies of the report. Our vision is “Safe Housing for All Our Relatives.”

Historical Overview of Tribal Housing

June 28, 2022 • Theodore Jojola

Forty percent of on-reservation housing (compared to 6 percent outside of Native nations’ land) is considered substandard housing. In addition, according to NCAI, nearly ⅓ of homes are overcrowded and less than ½ of homes on the reservation are connected to public sewer systems, and 16 percent lack indoor plumbing. At the core of this issue, Indigenous Nations have survived decades and decades of unjust federal policies that mandated removal, relocation, displacement, and broken treaties. As a result, these systemic injustices left tribes with limited economic opportunities, high poverty rates, low employment rates, and high housing shortages and crises. This session will look at traditional housing and the impacts of HUD on traditional housing practices and community development.

Housing Insecurity and Homelessness in Indian Country

June 28, 2022 • Paloma Sanchez

Housing Insecurity and Homelessness Indigenous people are so pervasive in this country for both our on the reservation and off-reservation relatives. The housing crisis and homelessness in Indigenous communities have a long contextual history of enormous land theft, unjust removal from homelands backed by federal policies, and historical injustices. This presentation will focus on the unique and cultural circumstances of our unsheltered Indigenous relatives. It will make critical connections between our high rates of poverty, workforce development and employment, and the lack of economic development, resources, and accessibility. To address these issues we not only need to strengthen the sovereignty of Tribal Nations but also start with a cultural framework that speaks to our communities and fortifies Indigenous kinship to protect and support our Relatives who need safe, affordable housing.