What changes could break the cycle of violence on Native American reservations portrayed in last night's Vanguard’s “Rape on the Reservation"?

This is an issue very close to my heart and I WISH Native activists could have played a bigger role in how the story was told. To combat the cycle of violence, we need to recognize and fully accept accountability for events that caused it. I was beyond disappointed that van Zeller did not address the history of US and Canadian boarding schools. Entire generations of Native children were taken from their families in order to "kill the Indian, save the man." Sexual, physical, and psychological abuse was the norm. Kids were forbidden from speaking their languages or practice their culture. They were raped and beaten and taught to hate themselves and anything that had to do with being Indian. So what happens when these people come back to their communities? Without their culture, without a means to heal chronic and complex post traumatic stress disorder they developed at the hands of US&Canadian government? This severe intergenerational trauma is INTEGRAL to cycle of violence, but van Zeller didn't even address it.
This report fell into the cycle of racism when you failed to adequately address WHO is victimizing Native women. You kept saying one third will be raped but you did NOT mention that of those women who are raped, 70% were raped by a NON native. From the US Department of Justice: "American Indian and Alaska Native women are more likely to be victims of sexual violence committed by a stranger or acquaintance rather than a family member or intimate partner. Approximately 70% of perpetrators are non-Native." This is the complete opposite of what rape looks like for most US women--where inTRAracial, acquaintance rape is the norm. I thought that you would at least address this fact when talking about US Federal vs. tribal jurisdictions, but you stayed silent. Non natives are able to come on tribal land and prey on Native women and tribal courts have NO POWER in charging and convicting them. And since these assaults take place on tribal land, state judicial systems have no power either. CITY governments barely pay attention to sexual assault cases. Imagine what these women are up against when they must appeal to the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF THE USA for justice!

I know this comment is long, but I hope you take the time to hear me out. To end this cycle, we need to end the silence and lack of accountability. We need to lay bare all the institutional systems that continually violate Native people. You cannot talk about rape on the reservation without talking about colonization. This means van Zeller did a complete disservice to the Lakota community by not breaking the silence on the rapes that are supported by US institutions. We need to talk about forced/coerced sterilizations, disproportionate incarceration of Native people, rape at the hands of US law enforcement, abuse at the hands of foster and adoptive parents (Native kids are 3 times more likely that other US groups to be put into foster care, usually with a Non Native family).

I was glad to hear the voices of Native women tell their stories. But I was so disappointed that Vangaurds didn't put these stories into a larger historical and political context.

Obviously it would be ignorant for someone to think that ALL NATIVE Americans are like this. Of course they are not. Just likes whites are all not the same. It brought light to a serious issue though, that we as people should be aware of and try to help. Reservations with tradition or a lost one, there are people here who need help. It can come from the US government, the Tribes, etc. But people need to be strong and step up to the plate. Violence against women in the US and beyond has been around for centuries. And of course drug usage too. It is so important to start in the HOME with teaching children to respect life. To respect one another. To respect themselves. No matter what race you are. And it is not ok to have power over another person.

i was very interested in hearing about the comments on this episode. however, i was disappointed that this is how current tv presents it. i am disappointed that current tv expects its views to buy into the 'news' that Native Americans are violent. this station may disclaim that it was not to be assumed that all Native Americans are violent or that all Lakota Americans are violent. but this is unacceptable. from this horrible question to the horribly presented episode, i am disappointed. i might as well have watched the local news about the killings and rapings in my city.
i pray that this does not get censored because i am NOT buying it!

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This is a hard question to answer...But I think that they need to figure out these problems as a community. I mean the forefathers of this country took EVERYTHING from them. Culture, some history, their land....And this has affected their spirit and souls...Look at how the young man was talking about how to control your woman by hitting her in a relationship...No 19 year old should have a mentality like that and the sad thing is there are many more kids on the reservation just like this. Its going to have to take some real soul searching and true Dakota leaders to stand up and voice their opinions on this oppressive abuse. It really hurts my heart to see this.

And oh yes, those two brothers who saw their dad break his girlfriends jaw, they acted like it was no big deal. That made me sick. Monkey see, monkey do is the old saying? Yes, that is what is happening. The cycle just keeps repeating itself. And you are taught by what you see. They see their parents, sibs , behave this way and think it is normal to maintain control in their home by assaultin the woman????!! What kind of sick and twisted mentality is that?? God, I hope those two brothers see the light and get help. And for sure not date any girl until they get help!

And one last thing...what kind of family blames their daughter for getting sexually assaulted and then disowns her?? That is sick. That is not a family. That is just evil. No matter what you wear, no matter what or how much a woman drinks, NO one has the right to rape or sexually assault her.

Lisa

OMG! that is a loaded question. However, there must be a focus on the family again as well as the Native American tradition. There is no respect for the women. I can't believe what I saw on the episode. It broke my heart. The wife, mother , girlfriend is treated like nothing, like their life has no value. And that poor mother grieving for her daughter. And what is the hold up with destroying those abandon homes? It is the least the tribal government can do for her. Her poor daughter. I am sick over this. It sounds like they need more assistance from the US. More funds to provide more police officers, shelters for the women and children to go to. Send in the family therapists to help deal with the domestic issues. Get to the core of the person and help educate them. It is all about education in the end. With no education and no family support, reservations like this will continue on. Bottom line, this is just not a Native American issue, this is a human being issue. All of us should should take care of each other. No person, anywhere should have to live in such fear and uncertainty. We (the US) put these people on reservations, took them away from their land, and look what is being allowed to take place? Unemployment, rape, domestic violence, drug and alcohol problems. We really need to do something and help them so much more. They NEED MORE RESOURCES! What can I do? Please let me know how I can help. Thank you. And god bless those poor woman.

Lisa
Frisco, Texas
lisam851@yahoo.com

we could teach women Kung-Fu :D lol

actually training and hiring women as police officers might help a great deal. that or creating new laws pushing the natives back to their roots.

The cycles have been going on for years. Little by little people are seeing that this behavior is unacceptable. I lived and currently work on a reservation and a lot of the education is more geared for older girls and women. You don't see the younger kids being educated what is wrong. They are subjected to violence in the homes and know that it isn't right, but you don't have anyone educating them that it is unacceptable. Most of the education that I see occurring is starting at the middle school or even as late as the high school level. The stigma of being a rape victim on the reservation continues to be high. I worked for the tribal police as a detective and everyone for the most part was ill equipped on how to talk to a victims and the training received was minimal (at best). So I would suggest that education at a younger age than middle school should be occurring. We teach kids about things that aren't immediately useful in their lives (manners, their roles in the family, community), so shouldn't we be teaching them about violence and that it is unacceptable so they can understand the basics and build on that as they get older? So education and better training for the tribal police departments, tribal prosecutor's office and the youth is vital for it to work. It is almost like the story of how you should approach telling your kids about sexuality, by the time they hear it from you directly they already have a lot of misconceptions because they are hearing it from people that are dispensing wrong information.

as unfourtunate as it may be maybe for some of them the best decision would be to just move away from it all and start there family there, the hard part of that is affording to make that move. Get some tazers ladies.

I don't have an answer, but I know that this episode of Vanguard deeply effected me. I want to help, but I know very little about Native American culture, politics, etc. An obvious answer is more police, but as the man said near the end of the broadcast, nothing will change until the people learn to change themselves. Yes, the U.S. government has done awful things to Native Americans. Yes, religious zealots (as well-intentioned as they might be) have caused their share of problems. But until people take responsibility for their own actions and take control of their future, any outside help is only a temporary fix. True change must come from within.

A council of grandmothers that would help the community instill life affirming values .

Native Police

A return to OUR OWN cultural ways and Matriarchal system!

Rape isn't about sex it's about power and the US Government and their ALLOWING xian religious groups to FORCE their beliefs on us to have free reign on the Reservation after outlawing OUR belief systems set up a Patriarchal power base which has been nothing but trouble for a People who aren't supposed to live like that.

take away the fire water

Well, people may not like this, but , give them a State, let them be their own government, and completely leave them alone to form their own economy , the US destroyed them as a 'people' this is the result.

We should force them off the reservations and back to their former lands. That'll show 'em.

Pressure from strong males that the other males respect, such as pro sports athletes like Hank Basket, who would never treat a woman that way, and wouldn't put up with any other male doing it. The men need to be shown how a real man is to act. I would like to see a speaker there every week for as long as it takes to retrain the peoples thinking.