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PR TASK FORCE ON WOMEN SAFETY ISSUES


PINE RIDGE RESERVATION – The safety of our women and children is a multi-disciplinary, multi- organizational, and cultural concern here on the Pine Ridge Reservation. There is a newly formed task force that wants to provide a consistent and competent response to our victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

The Oglala Lakota Nation Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence task force members are comprised from the following agencies: Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains, Oglala Sioux Tribe Victims Service, Sacred Shawl Society Shelter, Pine Ridge Indian Health Service Women’s Health team, Nebraska Legal Services, Pine Ridge Indian Health Social Services and Oglala Sioux Tribal court personnel. Development meetings have been ongoing for several months.

The mission of the task force is to provide a consistent, competent, and a comprehensive response to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, educating the community, and to ensure accurate evidence procurement that promotes apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators.

In addition to survivor and community awareness, the task force is working on the tribal domestic and sexual violence codes. The goal is to make adjustments that will provide our officers, prosecutors, and judges with guidelines and laws that will better help our community.

Willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behaviors are part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one person against another. This may be an intimate partner, a family member, an acquaintance or a stranger. It may include physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically.

Sexual assault and domestic violence are severe significant issues that are often overlooked. Prosecution rates are very low compared to the high occurrence, both reported and unreported. Some of the current statistics are as follows:

American Indians comprise less than 9 percent of the population of South Dakota, yet in 2012, 26 percent were victims of forcible rape according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Sacred Shawl Society received more than 300 calls for service in the last year.

Pine Ridge Hospital has seen approximately 50 cases of sexual assault since January of this year.

The lifetime prevalence of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner for South Dakota women is 33.7 percent.

Nearly 2/3 of South Dakota domestic violence homicides are committed with firearms.

OST Victims Services received 1,560 crisis calls for the year 2018.

The task force invites any persons and/ or organizations that are involved with sexual assault and domestic violence. The meetings occur every fourth Thursday of the month at 2 pm at the Justice Center in the Peacekeepers Room. The Oglala Lakota Nation needs to work together to create the social change that is desperately needed.

In addition, tribal entities are invited to come on board. The work of our first responders is important and the task force invites them to work with the group. Their input is important and crucial to the goals the task force is trying to accomplish. A collaborative approach to the needs of this community cannot be over emphasized.

Our community needs to be aware of how prevalent these crimes are and how much danger our people are facing from domestic violence and/or sexual assault. When women or children are hurt from violence and sexual assault, they are traumatized and it affects the community as a whole.

Reaching out for help is the first step in healing from our abuse:

OST Victim Services is dedicated to the empowerment of sexually assaulted, battered women and their children and can be reached at 605- 867-1508

Sacred Shawl Society can be reached at 605- 685-1020

Pine Ridge Indian Health Service Sexual Assault team at 605- 867-3003.

You can also call The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800- 799-SAFE (7233)

Donnel Ecoffey, Bureau of Indian Affairs at 605-867-2931

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