OVW FY 2009 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments and Sexual Assault Services Program

Many studies have shown that Alaska Native and American Indian women are more likely to experience sexual assault and domestic violence than are women from other racial or ethnic groups. Violence committed against Alaska Native and American Indian women can be deadly. From 1979-1992, homicide was the third leading cause of death for Indian women age 15 to 34. About 75% of these women were killed by a family member or someone that they knew. Indian tribal governments may not have the resources in place to address violence committed against Indian women as a criminal offense. Tribes may not have police officers, prosecutors, courts, or judges. Tribes that do have police officers, prosecutors, courts, and judges may need training on the special needs of women who are the victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. They may also need training on how they can hold offenders responsible for their violent behavior. Indian women who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking may need help with locating emergency shelter and transitional or temporary housing. The children of victims may also need counseling to deal with the violence that they have witnessed. Tribes may lack the resources to provide assistance to victims and their children. The Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program (Tribal Governments Program) was created in Title IX of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. The Tribal Governments Program is designed to fulfill the three goals of Title IX: (1) to decrease the number of violent crimes committed against Indian women; (2) to help Indian tribes use their independent authority to respond to crimes of violence against Indian women; and (3) to make sure that people who commit violent crimes against Indian women are held responsible for their actions.2 The Violence Against Women Act of 2005 also created a new grant program specifically designed to address the needs of Indian women who are victims of sexual assault. The purpose of the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program is to help tribes establish, maintain, and expand programs and projects to directly assist victims of sexual assault. OVW made its first awards under the Tribal Governments Program in Federal Fiscal Year 2007, but did not receive appropriated funds from Congress to make grant awards under the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program until Federal Fiscal Year 2008. Starting with Federal Fiscal Year 2009, OVW will combine consideration of eligible tribal government applicants for both types of funding, as appropriate, under a single solicitation for the Grants to Indian Tribal Governments and Sexual Assault Services Program (Tribal Governments Program). The new combined solicitation will streamline access to OVW grant funding for tribes and will also increase the level of resources that tribal communities can use to combat the sexual assault of Indian women.