In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW) invites survivors, advocates, service providers, community members, and Tribal leaders to join us in rising awareness of domestic violence during COVID-19, especially in our tribal communities. But we also invite you all to join CSVANW in supporting survivors, supporting our advocates and services providers, who continue to be at the front line during this time of COVID-19. We see you.

Domestic violence is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors that include physical, sexual, verbal and psychological attacks, as well as economic coercion, that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners.

These learned behaviors have been intensified by acts of colonization and the imposition of hierarchy and foreign belief systems on Native peoples. These unnatural learned behaviors of power and control includes: using male privilege, isolation, intimidation, emotional abuse, minimizing, lying and blaming, sexual abuse, using children, economic abuse, coercion and threats, cultural abuse, ritual abuse and physical abuse.

At CSVANW, we believe that each of our Native womxn carry within them, the hopes, visions, prayers and songs of their ancestors. We believe that they carry within them, the resilience of their families and their communities. We honor our Native womxn, as the life givers and caretakers of our communities and as the keepers of our next generations.

2020 DVAM Graphics