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Help the Pretty Bird Woman House

The Pretty Bird Woman House on the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota provides emergency shelter, aid, counseling, and a variety of other services to women in need. Unfortunately, it’s in dire financial straits after a series of attacks. South Dakota has ongoing problems with sexual assault and abuse, with Amnesty International reporting that:

High levels of sexual violence on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation take place in a context of high rates of poverty and crime… The unemployment rate on the Reservation is 71 per cent. Crime rates on the Reservation often exceed those of its surrounding areas. According to FBI figures, in 2005 South Dakota had the fourth highest rate of “forcible rapes” of women of any US state.

The Pretty Bird Woman House has made a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of women, despite being staffed by only three people. In less than a year, these three employees have:

* Served a total of 614 individuals with education and services.
* Answered 397 crisis calls
* Provided emergency shelter to 188 women and 132 children.
* Helped 23 women obtain restraining orders, 10 get divorces, and 16 get medical assistance
* Provided court advocacy support for 28 women, and
* Conducted community education programs for 360 women.

Chip in and help them out.

Thanks to Kristen for the link.


7 thoughts on Help the Pretty Bird Woman House

  1. Not to get side-tracked, but why is the term “forcible rape” used? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

  2. actually wouldn’t “forcible rape” be redundant?

    i am not surprised by the stats. native american women are almost twice as like as any other group to be sexually assaulted, or victims of violence.

    i will chip in if i can. i really think more reservations need facilities like this. this is amazing work they do, and it is much needed.

  3. Not to get side-tracked, but why is the term “forcible rape” used? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

    I think it’s used to differentiate it from “statutory rape,” in which the person is too young to legally consent to sex.

  4. I support the work these shelters do.

    I acknowledge the enormous violence visited on the Plains Nations has produced unacceptable levels of lateral violence.

    The juxtaposition of the sentences in your quote could produce an impression that the presence of the reserves accounts for the rape rate. While I can’t speak to the prevalence of rape in South Dakota communities, the presence of the world’s largest motorcycle rally might also have something to do with those numbers. Half a million or so bikers, served by uninhibited alcohol and party venues that provide on-site sex trade workers might also account for a part of the South Dakota rape statistics.

    Just FYI

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