The Rise of Domestic Violence in Native American Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic

American Indian Airwaves

Part 1: News throughout Indian Country Part 2: The rates of various of forms of domestic violence continue escalating during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, more More than 4 in 5 Native Americans have experienced violence in their lifetime; more than 1 in 2 Native women (55.5%) and 1 in 3 Native men (43.2%) have experienced physical violence by intimate partners in their lifetime; For Native victims of physical intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual violence, 2 in 5 Native women (38.2%) and 1 in 6 Native men (16.9%) were unable to get the services they needed; Native women and men are five times as likely to have experienced physical violence by a non-Native intimate partner as compared to non-Natives; Native women and men are: 2 times more likely to experience rape/sexual assault, and 2.5 times more likely to experience violent crimes; homicide is a leading cause of death for Native women; more than 7 out of 10 victim-survivor callers reported experiencing more than one type of abuse, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, digital abuse, cultural abuse, and other complex situations; and nearly 40% experiencing violence reported a child being involved in their situation. Guest: Lori Jump (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), Director of Stronghearts Native Helpline, joins us for the entire program to discuss the rise of domestic violence and its various forms in Native American households and throughout “Indian Country” during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, on December 17th, 2020 StrongHearts Native Helpline (1-844-7NATIVE) announced 10,000 callers have now reached out to the helpline for safe, confidential support and resources for domestic, dating and sexual violence. Tune in to hear more about the rise of domestic violence and the growing work of the Stronghearts Native Helpline and what people can do for assistance and resistance regarding domestic violence in Indigenous households.