Towards ending sexual abuse of Native women

(Courtesy photo)

Glendora Naomi Pine, 39, poses with her dog Toto.

This letter is based upon my experiences volunteering with San Juan Catholic Charities and assisting with homeless female victims of sexual assault in San Juan and McKinley counties.

At the beginning I didn't know what to expect. I was assigned as a case manager for Navajo homeless people, helping with legal issues and gathering resources. My job led me to three Navajo victims of sexual assault who went to a sexual assault nursing examiner (SANE) in Farmington.

They were turned away and labeled as typical "drunken Indians." In addition, many Navajo victims refuse to get treatment with the SANE in Farmington and this causes many crimes to go unreported, the perpetrators never prosecuted.

I have interpreted for elderly victims and have learned to respond in a non-judgmental and supportive manner, suggesting options and allowing the victims to decide what course of action to take.

I volunteered for two overnight stays at Harmony Safe House in Crownpoint where I met the three elderly Navajo women, ages 62 to 86, who were the latest rape victims.

I was immediately drawn to the one with the black eye. I felt utter sadness. One of the victims was disabled, the other mentally disabled, and none spoke English.

They were dressed in traditional style with pleated cotton skirts, long-sleeved blouses and several strands of turquoise and silver jewelry. It was not hard to imagine that one of them could be my mother or my grandmother.

One opened up about her ordeal. She stated that the perpetrator was a family member and that it was not the first time she had been violated.

I could not help but feel the ugliness and shame for her because of the incest that took place. I could fully understand how she was feeling because it brought back my own personal experience of such a terrible ordeal.

It is common for victims to explain that their extended family refused to help and had no respect for them, and most of them had problems with alcohol and were undependable.

There seemed to be an air of hopelessness because no one seemed to care. No family member of the victims showed up during the time I was there. I could not comprehend how the younger generation would have no respect for their elderly mother, aunt or grandmother.

After interviewing the victims, I felt as if they were being re-traumatized and re-victimized.

There was a lack of understanding from advocates who were inexperienced in handling sexual assault cases. I also witnessed the low priority given to sexual assault crimes by the Navajo Nation Police, and a lack of coordination in case handling between the tribal law officer, victim's advocate and victim.

Another barrier was lack of a reliable interpreter for those who spoke only Navajo. I felt hopeless because I could not interfere with the investigation even though I could have easily acted as an interpreter.

Hearing the victim recount the events of the crime and the sensitive nature of the subject made me feel profound sadness, knowing that these types of crimes are happening elsewhere on the reservation.

By researching and gaining an understanding of issues regarding sexual violence on the Navajo Reservation, I discovered that violent crimes on reservations have doubled when compared to the national average, particularly sexual assault cases.

In addition, many victims never report the crime because the perpetrator is a family member or friend of the family. Many perpetrators are never prosecuted due to reasons such as mishandling of evidence, case backlogs in which sexual assault is considered low-priority, overcrowding of jails and jurisdictional issues.

In addition, it is a time-consuming process both for the victim and the justice system.

Another component to this problem is alcoholism. If the tribal police suspected the victim and/or perpetrator were consuming alcohol at the time of the crime, it was handled less seriously and with no follow-up.

Furthermore, when a victim reports the assault there are few to no mental health services to help her begin the healing process. Currently, there are five crisis centers on the Navajo Reservation and they do not provide a full range of services for sexual assault victims. Many of these centers are safe havens for victims of domestic violence and shelters for homeless families. Their services are short-term.

Victims who do seek mental health services are put on a waiting list to see a therapist. In my research, I found a scarcity of qualified therapists who specialize in helping sexual assault victims.

Many of the therapists or psychologists lack the cultural knowledge or sensitivity to deal with traditional Native patients. Mental health services lack interpreters.

In addition, victims may lack transportation or money to get to their appointments.

With so many obstacles that hinder the process of healing, no wonder the victims have no faith in the justice system and feel that they are re-victimized by society.

This experience has made me feel that I need to do something to help the victims speak up and be heard. The rural areas need and deserve the same attention and focus as urban areas.

My investigation has led me to believe that we should re-educate our people. One suggestion is to have rehabilitation and treatment programs include a lesson on the historical background of the multi-generational trauma that Natives have endured at the hands of the majority culture.

In addition, clients should reflect on their own family history and find proactive ways to deal with their pain and suffering.

Another suggestion is to educate the public about the growing epidemic of violence against Native American women and lack of funding to attack the problem.

In addition, a curriculum is needed that includes what it means to be masculine in ways that honor women and reflect healthy community values, and that examines how sexual violence has been condoned in rural communities.

Volunteering with San Juan Catholic Charities and working with homeless Navajo female sexual assault victims has helped me break the silence after 23 years of my terrible ordeal of sexual assault, though talking about it was difficult and awkward due to my cultural tradition.

I believe all survivors of rape and sexual assault are emotionally bonded together. We know the aftermath of such a hideous crime. The effects of the trauma leave one physically, emotionally and mentally scarred. We feel shame, guilt, rage, confusion, denial and embarrassment.

It is important our voices be heard and we get the help we deserve; then society can help us to heal our mind, body and spirit.

Glendora Naomi Pine, 39, a mother and grandmother, is studying for a bachelor's degree in criminology at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.