Grants to Indian tribal governments
Grants
The Attorney General may make grants to Indian tribal governments or authorized designees of Indian tribal governments to—
develop and enhance effective governmental strategies to curtail violent crimes against and increase the safety of Indian women consistent with tribal law and custom;
increase tribal capacity to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking crimes against Indian women;
strengthen tribal justice interventions including tribal law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation,1
enhance services to Indian women victimized by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking;
work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking;
provide programs for supervised visitation and safe visitation exchange of children in situations involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking committed by one parent against the other with appropriate security measures, policies, and procedures to protect the safety of victims and their children;
provide transitional housing for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or stalking, including rental or utilities payments assistance and assistance with related expenses such as security deposits and other costs incidental to relocation to transitional housing, and support services to enable a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or stalking to locate and secure permanent housing and integrate into a community;
provide legal assistance necessary to provide effective aid to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sex trafficking, or sexual assault who are seeking relief in legal matters arising as a consequence of that abuse or violence, at minimal or no cost to the victims;
provide services to address the needs of youth who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or stalking and the needs of youth and children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including support for the nonabusing parent or the caretaker of the youth or child;
develop and promote legislation and policies that enhance best practices for responding to violent crimes against Indian women, including the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking;
develop, strengthen, and implement policies, protocols, and training for law enforcement regarding cases of missing or murdered Indians, as described in section 5704 of title 25; and
compile and annually report data to the Attorney General related to missing or murdered Indians, as described in section 5705 of title 25.
Collaboration
Source
(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 2015, formerly § 2007, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title IX, § 906(a),Notes
Codification
Amendments
Effective Date of 2013 Amendment
Effective Date
Findings and Purposes
FINDINGS.
“Congress finds that—
1 out of every 3 Indian (including Alaska Native) women are raped in their lifetimes;
Indian women experience 7 sexual assaults per 1,000, compared with 4 per 1,000 among Black Americans, 3 per 1,000 among Caucasians, 2 per 1,000 among Hispanic women, and 1 per 1,000 among Asian women;
Indian women experience the violent crime of battering at a rate of 23.2 per 1,000, compared with 8 per 1,000 among Caucasian women;
during the period 1979 through 1992, homicide was the third leading cause of death of Indian females aged 15 to 34, and 75 percent were killed by family members or acquaintances;
Indian tribes require additional criminal justice and victim services resources to respond to violent assaults against women; and
the unique legal relationship of the United States to Indian tribes creates a Federal trust responsibility to assist tribal governments in safeguarding the lives of Indian women.
PURPOSES.
“The purposes of this title [see Tables for classification] are—
to decrease the incidence of violent crimes against Indian women;
to strengthen the capacity of Indian tribes to exercise their sovereign authority to respond to violent crimes committed against Indian women; and
to ensure that perpetrators of violent crimes committed against Indian women are held accountable for their criminal behavior.”
National Baseline Study on Violence Against Indian Women
In general.—
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 [
Scope.—
In general.—
The study shall examine violence committed against Indian women, including—
domestic violence;
dating violence;
sexual assault;
stalking;
murder; and
sex trafficking.
Evaluation.—
The study shall evaluate the effectiveness of Federal, State, tribal, and local responses to the violations described in subparagraph (A) committed against Indian women.
Recommendations.—
The study shall propose recommendations to improve the effectiveness of Federal, State, tribal, and local responses to the violation described in subparagraph (A) committed against Indian women.
Task force.—
In general.—
The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, shall establish a task force to assist in the development and implementation of the study under paragraph (1) and guide implementation of the recommendation in paragraph (2)(C).
Members.—
The Director shall appoint to the task force representatives from—
national tribal domestic violence and sexual assault nonprofit organizations;
tribal governments; and
the national tribal organizations.
Report.—
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 [
Authorization of appropriations.—
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 and 2015, to remain available until expended.”