Integrity Score 260
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Very true
Since a previous report in 2007, no progress has been made in reducing the rate of sexual violence against Native American women, according to a report released on May 17 by Amnesty International USA.
“At least 56 percent of Native women have experienced sexual violence, and at least one in three have experienced rape, which is 2.2 times more likely than non-Hispanic white women,” said Tarah Demant, interim national director for programs, government relations and advocacy at Amnesty International USA. “But because of the inadequate data tracking that happens by the U.S. government, these numbers are likely actually much lower than reality."
MPR News reported that aside from lacking data, the research cites convoluted legal authority among federal, state, and tribal governments, as well as a lack of money for law enforcement and prosecution, as obstacles to reducing unequal violence.
“This lack of commitment by the U.S. government is a complete failure in their human rights obligations over the last 15 years, so ultimately, we couldn't get any headway because it was a broader systemic problem, and because of that lack of commitment by the US government,” said Demant.
The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 and the Violence Against Women Act, which was recently reauthorized by Congress, are two key pieces of legislation that have helped address the issue in the 15 years since the first Amnesty report.
These statutes made some headway in expanding the jurisdiction of tribal courts. The Amnesty report calls for full restoration of tribal jurisdiction over crimes committed in Indian country, and increased funding for prosecution, law enforcement and health care.
Let’s see if these results will bear fruits or not!