Tribal Victim Assistance

Resources

Access a wide range of resources (both federal and non-federal) that can help Tribal communities better meet the needs of victims of child maltreatment, domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Developing and Implementing a Response to Sexual Assault in Tribal Communities: A Summary of the Suggestions from the National Roundtable Discussion on Sexual Assault in Indian Country (April 2017)

OVC, in partnership with the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and Indian Health Service (IHS), held a National Roundtable Discussion on Sexual Assault in Indian Country with a multidisciplinary group of professionals with expertise in developing, implementing, or enhancing a sexual assault response in Tribal communities. Through this report, OVC, OVW, and IHS seek to share lessons learned and practical guidance from the roundtable participants, including Tribal governments and responders to sexual violence. [PDF 842KB]

Child Maltreatment

Federal/ Non-Federal	Resource
Federal	Child Welfare Information Gateway Resources on child abuse and neglect, including specific information related to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Federal	Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Search OJJDP's publications for guidance on investigating and prosecuting cases of child abuse and neglect, as well as information on how to meet the needs of child and adolescent victims of crime.
Non-Federal	National Indian Child Welfare Association Find information on how to request training opportunities, research on the impact of child maltreatment on American Indian and Alaska Native children and families, as well as other information and resources on how to increase access to developmentally appropriate mental health services and improve Tribal child welfare systems.
Non-Federal	Tribal Law and Policy Institute's Child Abuse and Neglect Publications Find a variety of publications that address a range of issues in meeting the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native victims of child maltreatment including guidelines on drafting Tribal codes related to child maltreatment, creating response protocols for the co-occurrence of child maltreatment and domestic violence, and guidelines for interviewing victims of child sexual abuse.
Non-Federal	AMBER Alert in Indian Country Assists Tribal communities in developing programs to safely recover endangered missing or abducted children through the coordinated efforts of the Tribes and their local, state, and federal partners by using training and technology to enhance response capacities, capabilities and increase public participation in protecting children.

Domestic Violence

Federal/ Non-Federal	Resource
Federal	Indian Health Service's Indian Health Manual Chapter on Intimate Partner Violence Read IHS' clinical care guidelines for identifying, treating, and referring victims of intimate partner violence in IHS facilities.
Federal	Department of Justice's Tribal Consultation Read about USDOJ's annual Tribal consultation with Tribal leaders on issues related to violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women, including the annual reports issued to Tribal leaders detailing the Department's ongoing efforts to address Tribal leaders' concerns.
Non-Federal	Tribal Law and Policy Institute's Violence Against Native Women Publications Find guidelines for drafting Tribal domestic violence statutes, establishing a dedicated docket for domestic violence cases in Tribal court, and other resources designed to aid Tribes in strengthening their response to domestic violence.
Non-Federal	StrongHearts Native Helpline By calling 1–844–7NATIVE (1–844–762–8483), American Indian and Alaska Native victims of domestic violence and dating violence can speak to an advocate who is knowledgeable about American Indian and Alaska Native culture, as well as Indian country jurisdiction.
Non-Federal	National Indigenous Women's Resource Center Provides national leadership to end violence against American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian women by supporting culturally grounded, grassroots advocacy.
Non-Federal	Alaska Native Women's Resource Center Dedicated to strengthening local, Tribal government's responses through community organizing efforts advocating for the safety of women and children in their communities and homes, especially against domestic and sexual abuse and violence.
Non-Federal	Mending the Sacred Hoop Works from a social change perspective to end violence against Native women and children while restoring the safety, sovereignty, and sacredness of Native women.
Non-Federal	Intertribal Technical-Assistance Working Group on Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction A voluntary working group of designated Tribal representatives who may exchange views, information, and advice, peer-to-peer, about how Tribes may best implement SDVCJ, combat domestic violence, recognize victims' rights and safety needs, and safeguard defendants' rights.

Elder Abuse

Federal/ Non-Federal	Resource
Federal	Administration for Community Living Find resources on the unique needs of older Americans and people with disabilities across the lifespan.
Non-Federal	National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life Read NCALL's Reclaiming What is Sacred: Addressing Harm to Indigenous Elders and Developing a Tribal Response to Abuse in Later Life report and companion guide, created to aid American Indian and Alaska Native communities in developing culturally appropriate responses to elder abuse.
Non-Federal	National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative Addresses elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation in Indian Country.
Non-Federal	National Indian Council on Aging Advocates for improved comprehensive health, social services, and economic well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native Elders.

Sexual Assault

Federal/ Non-Federal	Resource
Federal	Indian Health Service's Indian Health Manual Chapter on Sexual Assault The sexual assault chapter establishes uniform clinical care guidelines for patients 18 and older who present for sexual assault services at Indian Health Service hospitals, health centers, and health stations.
Non-Federal	Tribal Forensic Healthcare Project Available trainings for medical professionals to acquire and maintain the knowledge, skills, and competent clinical forensic practice to improve the response to domestic and sexual violence in hospitals, health clinics, and health stations within the Indian health system.
Non-Federal	National Sexual Violence Resource Center's SANE Sustainability Guide Provides the most up to date resources to support Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program sustainability.
Non-Federal	YWCA Oklahoma City – Sexual Assault Services Provides an array of services to help the primary and secondary survivors of sexual assault regain control over their lives.

Human Trafficking

Federal/ Non-Federal	Resource
Federal	OVC Human Trafficking Weblet Provides resources and information for a variety of audiences including victims/survivors, victim service providers, law enforcement, and allied professionals, including the following: Faces of Human Trafficking Video Series Federal Strategic Action Plan on Services for Victims of Human Trafficking, 2013–2017
Federal	Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign’s Awareness Training Access online training for first responders and law enforcement officers on how to recognize and respond to incidents of human trafficking.
Non-Federal	Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition's Report on Sex Trafficking Read Garden of Truth: The Prostitution and Trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota, for a glimpse into the lives and experience of American Indian and Alaska Native women who have been trafficked.
Federal	OVC Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center Works with federally recognized Tribes to develop approaches that align with cultural values while honoring and respecting American Indian and Alaska Native practices. The Center provides services that place minimal demands on staff to provide immediate and sustainable benefits for Tribes.

General

Federal/ Non-Federal	Resource
Non-Federal	Native Alliance Against Violence Strives to unify Tribal service programs throughout Oklahoma by providing culturally appropriate technical assistance, training, and support to eliminate domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence to restore balance and safety for Tribal communities.
Non-Federal	Tribal Resource Tool A searchable directory of services available for all AI/AN survivors of crime and abuse in Indian Country.
Non-Federal	VictimConnect Resource Center A referral helpline where crime victims can learn about their rights and options confidentially and compassionately.
Federal	OVC Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program In 2021, Congress authorized set-aside funds from the Crime Victims Fund for a Tribal victim services set-aside program which will provide support to Tribal communities to enhance services for victims of crime, consistent with the requirements of the Victims of Crime Act. OVC is charged by Congress with administering the Crime Victims Fund.
Federal	National Missing and Unidentified Persons System A national information clearinghouse and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases across the United States.
Federal	The Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Under Executive Order 13898, the Task Force was directed to conduct consultations; develop model protocols to apply to new and unsolved cases of missing or murdered persons in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, including best practices for law enforcement response, data sharing, and better use of databases; establish multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional teams to review cold cases that involve missing and murdered AI/AN; and develop both an education/outreach campaign and a public awareness campaign.

DID YOU KNOW?

Professional development scholarships are available to those who work with victims of crime. OVC provides up to $1,000 for individuals, $1,500 for individuals traveling from outside the contiguous United States, and up to $5,000 for multidisciplinary teams of victim service professionals seeking education opportunities.