Stop Violence Against Indian Women

The Stop Violence Against Indian Women Program was started by the Social Service Department in 1997. The program provides services to all adult Native Americans or their significant others living on the Coeur d' Alene Reservation who have been or who are presently victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, or stalking.

Staff

Hours of Operation

Mission Statement

The Stop Violence Against Indian Women Program is dedicated to breaking the cycle of violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, and stalking through awareness and intervention and developing partnerships within the community and other programs. It is the purpose of the Program to provide confidential victim advocacy, safe shelter and compassion while promoting one's dignity and respect for cultural beliefs. Domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, and stalking are not traditional to the Coeur d' Alene Tribe's cultural teachings and indigenous way of life.

To provide the best possible services, in a timely manner, with respect, fairness, and courtesy to all victims of domestic violence and their children. It is also the goal to sustain the program by continuously seeking avenues of funding to provide essential services to victims as well as enhance them.

Funding

Federally funded through the STOP Violence Against Indian Women Discretionary, Family Violence Prevention, Grants to Tribal Governments Grant, and the Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Grants through the U.S. Department of Justice, Violence Against Women. The program provides the following services:

• Individual counseling referrals.
• Women’s Support/Instruction Groups.
• Crisis intervention, including shelter.
• Referral services.
• Community outreach.
• Court advocacy.
• Community education and awareness training.
• Equine therapy for child victims
• Domestic violence offender’s evaluations.
• Offender Intervention group counseling.

Support Groups

We offer domestic violence offender evaluations on a monthly basis and weekly offender intervention groups. The groups are held every Wednesday 8:00-10:00 P.M. at the Family Healing Center. You must be court mandated to have an evaluation and attend the weekly offender group. please call the department for dates instruction groups are taking place

Counseling offered for victims of domestic violence and their children who have witnessed violence in the household.

Call the STOP Violence Program for a schedule of support groups being offered.

Advisory Committee Members

There are five committee members and two alternate members. The terms are for three years. Requirements are:

• Tribal Member
• Appointment by the Tribal Council. A letter of interest must be sent to the Tribal Council.
• Must attend quarterly committee meetings.
• Must be an active and committed member.

Current Members:

• Laura Stensgar
• Theresa Faber
• Mary Ann Zachary
• Sue Garry
• Joie Weinclaw (alternate)
• Rich Weinclaw (alternate)

Community Service Program

Students will be able to receive community service hours by collecting used cell phones to benefit the Stop Violence program through a national agency called the Shelter Alliance Organization. They can earn one community service hour for every five phones collected. Contact the Stop Violence Program for further information.

Domestic Violence

is defined as the mistreatment of an intimate partner by using physical, sexual, and emotional abuse including threats, harassment, neglect, and stalking to establish control and maintain power over another person.

Quiz-Does Your Partner:

• Embarrass you with bad names and put-downs?
• Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
• Control what you do, who you see or talk to, or where you go?
• Stop you from seeing or talking to friends or family?
• Take your money or social security, make you ask for money, or refuse to give you money?
• Make all the decisions?
• Tell you you’re a bad parent or threaten to take away or hurt your children?
• Act like the abuse is no big deal, it’s your fault, or even deny doing it?
• Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?
• Intimidate you with guns, knives, or other weapons?
• Shove you, slap you or hit you?
• Force you to drop charges?
• Threaten to commit suicide?
• Threaten to kill you?

If you checked even one of the above, you may be in an abusive relationship. If you need to talk, please call the Stop Violence Program.

How You Can Help A Friend or Family Member Who is in A Abusive Relationship:

• Become informed about domestic violence.
• Lend an ear.
• Guide her to community services.
• Focus on her strength-give her the emotional support she needs and deserves to believe that she is a good person.
• Be a friend/good relative-let her know you are there for her.
• Confront her with the danger-help her face the reality of living with an abusive partner.
• Help her develop a safety plan.

How You can Help A Friend....and How to Help an Abuser:

Reporting Abuse

Everyone is a mandatory reporter of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and abuse to elders and vulnerable adults.

• Notify the STOP Violence staff in Social Services by either phone or fill out an "Abuse Reporting Form". (available at the STOP Program Office)
• Deliver or fax the form to the STOP Program.
• All info is strictly confidential!
• You may receive a phone call by an advocate if further info is needed.
• For Emergencies - call 9-1-1.

How To Help An Abuser

• Call the police if you witness an assault.
• Tell him that violent behavior is not O.K.- it is a sign that the person has a problem and needs help.
• Offer to talk with him about alternatives to violence-cooling off, talking about the problem, counseling, support group.
• Be a role model for healthy relationships-treat your friends and partners with respect.
• Take a stand! Don’t reinforce abusive behavior by laughing, minimizing, or ignoring an act of violence or a threat.