Tribes make push for Violence Against Women Act

Mar 07, 2012

WASHINGTON — American Indian leaders say they want support from two more Republican senators for the Violence Against Women Act and they are making a big push this week to muster support for the bill, which includes measures to specifically help American Indian and Alaska Native victims . . .

One of the provisions in the act would allow tribes to prosecute offenders who are not American Indian or Alaska Native when their victims are and the violence happens on a reservation.

The measures also would give tribes authority to prosecute non-Indians who commit violence against American Indian women, which raises concern among some opponents about giving tribal courts increased power over defendants who are not tribal members. In 1978, the Supreme Court ruled that tribes do not have authority over people who are not American Indian, even when the crime happens on a reservation and involves a member of a tribe . . .

American Indian and Alaska Native women are 2.5 times more likely than other U.S. women to be battered or raped, according to the National Congress of American Indians. Many are domestic violence victims whose abusers and assailants are not Native American.

. . . that has prevented tribal officials from prosecuting abusers to help prevent repeat violence. Often the crimes are not serious enough for the federal government to step in. Violence often must escalate before a perpetrator is prosecuted.


read more: http://www.timesreporter.com/news/x1160495289/Tribes-make-push-for-Violence-Against-Women-Act