Alaska tribes get nearly $14M in federal grants to address domestic violence, sexual assault

The tundra successful nan Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta is seen successful nan evening sun connected Oct. 11, 2023. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

The U.S. Justice Department has announced much than $86 cardinal successful grants for American Indian and Alaska Native communities to ​​support survivors of home violence, making love violence, intersexual assault, stalking and activity trafficking.

Nearly $14 cardinal of those grants were awarded to Alaska tribes and tribal organizations.

The news comes aft Alaska lawmakers increased authorities funding to nan state’s Council connected Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to dress up for a alteration successful 1 if its national backing sources and arsenic advocates person stressed nan request for moreover much financial support.

The grants travel done nan national Violence Against Women Act, a rule that costs nan investigation and prosecution of convulsive crimes against women, which had its 30th day this month. The rule established nan national Office of Violence Against Women wrong nan Justice Department; its Tribal Affairs Division will administer nan grants.

Fourteen different tribes aliases tribal organizations successful Alaska person been awarded grants truthful acold and respective of them received much than $1 million. The Organized Village of Kake was awarded $1.5 cardinal to support Tribal jurisdiction complete crimes committeed successful nan community, including home violence, making love violence, intersexual assault, and activity trafficking.

Bristol Bay Native Association Inc., Aleutian Pribilof Island Association Inc. and nan Yakutat Tlingit Tribe each received astir $1.2 cardinal to support nan consequence to specified crimes successful nan communities they serve.

The Yup’ik Women’s Coalition and nan Healing Native Hearts Coalition each received much than $400,000 successful grants to proceed their activity successful nan Yukon-Kuskokwim and Interior regions.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland weighed successful connected nan awards.

“Tribal communities, and peculiarly American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls, person knowledgeable disproportionately precocious levels of unit for excessively long,” he said successful a news release. “This $86 cardinal dollar finance represents nan Justice Department’s committedness to moving successful business pinch Tribal nations to reside and forestall gender-based unit and supply information and justness for survivors.”

The Office of Violence Against Women will person made each its grants by Sept. 30, a spokesperson said.