Response CirclesSexual Assault Prevention

ProjectCarrie Sampson, BS (Umatilla, Walla-Walla)

Project Coordinator

The Hidden Epidemic• Can’t say it enough….– 34% or 1 in 3 Native women will be sexually

assaulted in their lifetime– American Indian and Alaska Native women

are more than 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than women in the USA in general

– Sexual assault is one of the most undisclosed and unreported crimes, especially for crimes committed against Native women and children. Consequently, the actual numbers of sexual assaults taking place in our Native communities are unknown.

IHS information taken from IHS Policy Update presentation by Beverly Cotton, National SANE/SART Coordinator

IHS & Sexual Assault• What is the Indian Health Service DVPI?

– A nationally-coordinated demonstration program aimed at addressing domestic violence, sexual assault and family violence within AI/AN communities.

• IHS doubled funding for the NPAIHB Sexual Assault Prevention Project for 3rd and final year

• The DVPI has awarded 65 projects to IHS, Tribal and Urban-operated programs

• FYI: IHS next steps include developing a sexual assault policy for all IHS facilities (beyond hospitals) and possibly the purchase of forensic equipment for IHS facilities (beyond hospitals)

Year 3 ObjectivesIHS DVPI Funding for NPAIHB

• Increase public awareness addressing sexual assault using media campaign

• Tribal sexual assault dynamics trainings at 5 tribes• Additional tribes will participate in the Sexual Assault

Prevention Project• SANE/SARRC Trainings in collaboration with Oregon Sexual

Assault Task Force• Project’s participating tribes will hold community awareness

events• Project’s participating tribes will implement school-based

curriculum or youth group addressing sexual assault• Victim Experience Surveys will be utilized at participating sites• Community Readiness Surveys will be completed at

participating sites

Response Circles Tribal Recruitment

• Currently have 3 tribes participating in the Sexual Assault Prevention Project:

• Swinomish• Suquamish• Warm Springs

• Recruiting 2 additional tribes to join the project in its final year

Tribal Sexual Assault Dynamics Trainings

• Purpose: – Get the conversation going about the prevalence of

sexual assault in tribal communities. Offer resources and information for tribes ready to break the silence, take down barriers and inform the community that it’s okay to start talking.

• Capacity to offer training to 5 tribes– Sexual Assault Educator: Lisa Norton (Siletz)

• Attend: – Social Services, Tribal Council, Tribal Leaders,

Clinic/Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Educators, Family Violence Programs, Community members

• NO cost to the tribes, Trainer will come to you• Timeline: November 2012-May 2013

Northwest Collaboration Against Sexual Assault in Tribal Communities

A collaboration between the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and Oregon Sexual Assault Task

ForceFunded by: National Institute of Justice

Training Update• Sexual Assault Response & Resource Circle

(SARRC) Training, May 2012– 3 Tribes participated:

• Swinomish• Tulalip• Warm Springs

• What is a SARRC?– A multi-disciplinary, inter-agency, community

driven collaboration that organizes its members in a victim centered and offender-focused approach to intervention, response, and prevention of sexual assault

• Benefits of a tribal SARRC:– use of tribally specific practices of helping– healing and justice– healing of the community as a whole– increased reporting– increased access to services– increased privacy for victims– increased understanding of sexual assault

dynamics and impact– raises awareness and prevention of sexual

assault

• Next Training- March 19-21, 2013

Training Update• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)

Training, Sept 24-28, 2012– 21 nurses in attendance that serve the

following tribes:• Burns Paiute• Coeur D’Alene• Nez Perce• Swinomish• Colville• Tulalip• Grand Ronde• Kalispel• Umatilla• Shoshone Paiute

• Benefits of a tribal SANE:– increased access to culturally

appropriate sexual assault services– shorter commutes for victims to obtain

services– no wait times in hospital emergency

rooms– accurate collection of forensic evidence

leading to increased prosecution rates– more comfortable environment for

tribal victims

• Next Training- Fall 2013

Questions?Contact:

Carrie Sampsoncsampson@npaihb.org

(503) 416-3304