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It's #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth and today's fun fact is that after all the work Natives put into VAWA 2013 giving tribes jurisdiction to prosecute non-Natives who assault Natives on tribal lands, @SenJoniErnst introduced VAWA 2019 that would strip tribes of sovereignty.
Additionally, it would wave sovereign immunity and allow those non-Native perpetrators to sue tribal officials for the arrest and/or their prosecution. It would make it nearly impossible for Nations to implement restored tribal criminal jurisdiction.
So what does that mean?
So what does that mean?
Currently, there are over 5000 missing and/or murdered Indigenous womxn and girls. 96% of Native womxn have/will endure sexual violence in their lives. Native womxn are more likely to experience domestic violence than any other group.
Those perpetrators? Over 70% are non-Native.
Those perpetrators? Over 70% are non-Native.
With #VAWA2019 as it stands, we will be rolling back the protections to *before* 2013. More womxn will be assaulted. More womxn will be killed. And even more of those non-Native perpetrators will get away with it and walk free.
Call your senators and ask them to *NOT* move forward with this legislation *UNTIL* the tribal provisions are amended *AND* that those provisions *DO NOT* impede on tribal sovereignty and threaten the lives of Native womxn.
#VAWA2019
#SafetyForNativeWomen
#PassHR1585
#VAWA2019
#SafetyForNativeWomen
#PassHR1585
