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Congress is in the way of Native survivors of sexual assault

Congress is in the way of Native survivors of sexual assault

Tell Congress:

"Stop denying justice to Native survivors. Pass H.R. 3977, the Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence Act."
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    Congress is in the way of Native survivors of sexual assault

    Today, because of the epidemic of sexual violence targeting Native women, Native American and Alaska Native women experience murder rates 10 times the national average.

    And what's Congress doing with the bipartisan bill that would help protect Indigenous Women and Girls? Nothing, because they think constituents don't know or care about this human rights crisis.

    If Congress suddenly sees thousands of people demanding they pass Representative Deb Haaland's Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence Act, they'll be forced to actually move it. Will you speak in solidarity with Indigenous women and girls right now and tell Congress to act?

    Due to the centuries-long aggression by the federal government against Indigenous sovereignty, Indigenous women and girls face one of the most horrific human rights crises in the United States and Canada today. Related to sexual violence, the leading cause of death for Native American and Alaska Native Women between ages 10 and 24 is homicide. They experience murder rates 10 times the national average, and are disproportionately targeted by sex traffickers. Horribly, only 116 of 5,712 cases filed in 2016 of missing or murdered Native women were logged into the Department of Justice database.

    This epidemic has become so immense that it has its own short-hand, MMIW--Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

    One way to begin ending this epidemic of violence against Indigenous women and girls is to make sure tribal authorities have the ability to prosecute these crimes. Specifically, Congresswoman Haaland's bill will:

    1) Allow tribal prosecution of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking against non-Tribal member offenders, and

    2) Ensure all perpetrators who commit these additional crimes can be prosecuted in tribal courts.

    Right now, Congress is sitting comfortably thinking not enough people care or know of this bill. That's why thousands need to cause an uproar in solidarity with Indigenous women and girls for this bill to pass.