American Indian and Alaska Native women face some of the highest rates of sexual violence in the United States: 56.1 percent of Native women have experienced sexual violence; Native women are 2.2 times more likely to be raped than non-Hispanic white women. High rates of sexual violence have been compounded by the:
- Federal government’s steady erosion of tribal government authority
- Complex jurisdictional maze that Native survivors of sexual violence must navigate when seeking justice
- Chronic under-resourcing of the law enforcement agencies and Indigenous health services
- Inadequate response of justice systems to crimes of sexual violence
Amnesty International is grateful to the American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, experts and individuals who provided guidance on research methodology and the report itself and who have generously shared information. The scope and depth of the work led by Native women in support of the rights and safety of their communities is immense. Amnesty International hopes that this report can contribute to and support the work of the many American Indian and Alaska Native women’s organizations and activists who have been at the forefront of efforts to ensure that the rights of Indigenous women are respected, protected and fulfilled.
