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October is national Domestic Violence Awareness Month and those that work at Alice’s Place in Winslow are well-versed in that area.
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According to Director Theresa Warren, one in four people in the United States will be a direct victim of domestic violence in their lifetime. “On the Navajo Nation, that number increases to one in two people being victims and those are just the ones that are reported.”
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Warren added, “In our shelters, 75 percent of our clients annually are Native American, 90 percent of those are Navajo.”
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The reasons for the high number of Native American victims are unclear. “Partially,” Warren said, “it has to do with our location and population. Our communities service many Native Americans and we are a border town.”
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Other factors come in to play when speaking of Native American victims of domestic violence. Warren said, “I believe there are a lower number of reported cases in indigenous areas. That is partly due to cultural teachings that keep things within the family. It is not common for Native victims to come forward for fear of repercussions from their families, especially if the perpetrator is a family member.”
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Program Manager Tiffany Brooks is a Navajo woman and began her career at Alice’s Place as a victim advocate with a unique perspective. “When we work with clients of Native American heritage, we have to realize that we have cultural differences. For example, a lot of our Native clients were raised to be very private. They aren’t to be open about any abuse that may be going on within their families. This is not without reason. In my experience, I have learned that it comes from the days of Indian schools. There was terrible abuse happening in some of those places and when the children came home, they couldn’t speak about what had happened to their families. So that mentality is passed on for generations. You just don’t talk about private matters outside of your own family unit.”
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Therefore, as Brooks said, “When Native victims come forward and reach out to us or other agencies for help, it is a very big deal. In some cases, once a victim speaks out, they are severing ties with their family. We had a client at one time that could not return to her family’s land because she chose to speak out against her abuser.”
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Times are changing, however. Brooks said, “More victims are coming forward. A lot of that has to do with our partnerships with other agencies like TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), DES (Department of Economic Security), the Indian Health Care facilities, our hospital here. Often, those places refer victims to us or make us aware of abuse that may be happening.”
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Warren added, “More and more being able to develop those partnerships is crucial. There has been an increase in awareness over the 12 years that I have been doing this, but we are still not where we need to be.”
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Brooks continued, “The good thing is there are more people on the Navajo Nation becoming aware and helping to spread that awareness. The Navajo Nation is one of our biggest funding partners and we do a lot of outreach there and with organizations on the Nation.
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“Strengthening Families is one of those organizations that is letting people know that it is okay to talk about their abuse and to reach out to places like Alice’s for help. They are also trying to develop shelter facilities on the reservation. We have one shelter there but more would always be better. Strengthening Families is doing a few events on the reservation at chapter houses and flea markets all month long.”
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It is not only the younger generation that is speaking out against domestic violence. Brooks said, “Lately, we have had some older Native women in shelter with us. That is impressive because for a lot of these women abuse has just been part of their lives for so long that it became their normal. For the older ladies to reach out is so important.”
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Alice’s Place serves anyone who is a victim of domestic violence. Warren said, “We are doing the best we can for individuals that come to us and we are learning more every day.”
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Warren said, “We provide resources and shelter for victims. Those resources are anything from job or housing applications to court advocacy and DES (Department of Economic Security) visits and paperwork. Our clients are in a vulnerable spot when they come to us and often, they don’t possess identification or birth certificates so we can help with acquiring those things as well.”
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If you or someone you know is or has been the victim of domestic violence, contact Alice’s Place 24 hours a day at (928) 289-3003.
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