Minnesota Indian Womens Sexual Assault Coalition

Programs: Education and training - provided education and training in minnesota and nationally to increase awareness of sexual violence against american indian and alaska native women and children, and to enhance tribal, state and federal response to such violence. We held one statewide conference where over 200 people were educated on sexual violence against native women. In addition, we conducted approximately 20 workshops and presentations to over 700 people, at various state and national venues. The topics included: prostitution/trafficking of native women; sexual assault against native women; tribal strategies to address sexual violence; mental health; two spirit/lgbtq issues; confidentiality; and advocacy standards of service. We traveled to tribal and non-tribal communities around the country.

public awareness - increased awareness of sexual violence within the native community through our native youth and culture program, which involved hosting our annual native girls retreat, and our native boys camp. The minnesota accessing paths to safety (maps) project to enhance services for native women with disabilities who have experienced sexual and domestic violence, continued to progress, and we produced a culturally specific video. Our engaging native men and boys project began filming a video with four individual vignettes which are tied together through dialogue.

membership and outreach - our membership includes 67 members, including individual and organizational members we provided quarterly membership meetings at the following locations: st paul, shakopee mdewankanton, prairie island, and duluth, we also provided ongoing technical assistance and outreach to our members through our listserv, email, telephone and social media outlets.