By Timothy Purdon
BISMARCK -- In 2009, the president declared April Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
This April, I am answering the president's call to be a partner in raising awareness of the issue of sexual violence. In particular, I want to focus attention on the issue of sexual violence in North Dakota's tribal communities.
Such a focus is natural for the North Dakota U.S. Attorney's Office, as we prosecute most violent crimes -- including crimes of sexual violence -- that occur on the reservations in North Dakota.
In the eight months since I was sworn in as North Dakota's U.S. attorney, I have traveled to all of the reservations in the state. Joined by others from my office, I consulted with tribal council members, tribal law enforcement, Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement, tribal social services, tribal court judges and tribal detention officials.
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On March 16, my office held a Tribal Listening Conference at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. We invited tribal leaders as well as federal, state and local leaders to discuss public safety in tribal communities.
During all of these consultations, it has become apparent that sexual violence occurs far too often on the reservations in North Dakota. There is one statistic that stands out: An American Indian female baby has a one-in-three chance of being sexually assaulted in her lifetime.
Such a statistic is not an American Indian problem. It is an American problem. It is not a Standing Rock or a Turtle Mountain problem. It is a North Dakota problem.
And as terrible as this statistic is, a deeper look reveals another critical concern: Sexual assault remains one of the most under-reported crimes in America. In fact, Justice Department statistics suggest that in 2008, fewer than half of rapes or sexual assaults against women were reported.
Last but not least, the effects on victims and society are profound. Many victims suffer severe long-term physical and emotional difficulties. They experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and even thoughts of suicide.
One sexual assault is one too many. That's why we must create an environment where victims feel safe reporting crimes to law enforcement so that they can begin to seek the justice they deserve.
In discussing these issues with my friends and neighbors who do not routinely visit the reservations, I've learned that many non-American Indians in North Dakota are unaware of the levels of sexual violence on the reservations.
And when I speak publicly about these issues, the response often is the same: After my remarks, many audience members will approach me and say, "I had no idea that this sort of thing was happening in North Dakota. What can I do to help?"
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The answers to that question can vary, but a common theme is this: Get involved. North Dakotans can volunteer at a local abused women's shelter, focus their charitable-giving toward this issue, talk to the members of their house of worship or civic group about getting involved on the reservations or simply insist that, in their presence, victims of sexual violence will not be blamed or shamed into silence.
North Dakotans are strong and good-hearted. If we take up the task of reducing sexual violence in our tribal communities, we can make a difference.
So, let us challenge every community in North Dakota to learn more about sexual violence, to better understand its impact and to take a stand against it.
Now aware of the grim statistical fate that awaits so many American Indian females, I find myself reflecting on their one-in-three chance of sexual assault when I go to a pow-wow and see a group of 7-year-old jingle dancers walk out into the sunlight to begin their dance, or when I see an extended American Indian family of grandmother, mother and daughter pumping gas at a convenience store.
Like many Herald readers, I have a mother, a sister and a wife. The three women in my family are not subject to this horrific statistic. The injustice of the fact that American Indian women must live with these odds is deeply offensive to me and should be to every American.
I am very fortunate that my current post as U. S. attorney puts me in a position to try to do something about this injustice. I am asking for your help in this fight.
Please get involved.
Purdon is the U.S.attorney for the District of North Dakota.
