National Indigenous Women's Resource Center Commemorates 30 Years of the Violence Against Women Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Miranda Raney, Director of Communications
media@niwrc.org
LAME DEER, Mont. — Today, the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC) joins millions nationwide in commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This historic piece of legislation has transformed the nation’s response to gender-based violence, and its impact continues to reflect and inspire a cultural shift toward greater awareness and prevention of violence across the United States.
Over the past three decades, VAWA has been instrumental in advancing protections for Native survivors of violence. The most recent reauthorization in 2022 included historic provisions, restoring critical categories of Tribal criminal jurisdiction necessary to protect Native women and children, including sexual assault, stalking, sex trafficking, child violence, obstruction of justice, and assaults on Tribal justice personnel.
NIWRC celebrates the progress achieved with each VAWA reauthorization since its passage in 1994 and honors the countless survivors, advocates, and families who have dedicated years of effort to making this legislation a reality. At the same time, we must recognize the ongoing barriers to justice and safety experienced by Native people. A renewed commitment from policymakers, communities, and advocates is essential to address these disparities and ensure VAWA's resources and protections are available and accessible to every Tribal community and survivor throughout Indian country.
“NIWRC remains dedicated to advancing the rights and safety of women by supporting grassroots advocacy and strengthening Tribal sovereignty,” said Lucy R. Simpson, Executive Director, NIWRC. “We look forward to building on VAWA’s successes and expanding protections for survivors in the years to come.”
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The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, Inc. (NIWRC) is a Native-led nonprofit organization dedicated to ending violence against Native women and children. NIWRC provides national leadership in ending gender-based violence in Tribal communities by lifting up the collective voices of grassroots advocates and offering culturally grounded resources, technical assistance and training, and policy development to strengthen Tribal sovereignty. To learn more, visit niwrc.org.
