Safety and Wabanaki Women in Maine: Need for Tribal Services
For women across the United States, federal reforms over the past 20 years have increased legal protections against domestic violence—physical and sexual. Many policymakers and national organizations are not aware, however, that the reach of these protections has many miles ahead to extend equally to Native women.
“We celebrate federal reforms, such as the 2013 VAWA amendment restoring tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians in domestic violence cases, but they have not served our Wabanaki women,” said Jane Root, Director of the Wabanaki Women’s Coalition (WWC). “Here at home, in Maine, these reforms do not always make a difference in our lives. One important role of our coalition is to keep our membership informed of national reforms and also inform federal and state entities of issues limiting implementation of these well-intended reforms.”
Tribal Leadership Summit
In the role of providing Indian tribes and member programs information, the WWC hosted the first tribal leadership summit for Maine tribes to prepare for the 2016 VAWA consultation. Leadership and delegations from every Indian tribe in Maine attended the summit, including the
Aroostook Band of Micmacs, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, and the Penobscot Nation.
“It was the first of its kind for tribes in Maine. Representatives from every tribe attended, including tribal leaders, law enforcement, court personnel, and of course advocates,” said Root. “The summit focused on discussion of Maine tribal issues to present at the VAWA annual tribal consultation and barriers to the safety of Wabanaki women.”
One issue identified during the summit was the ongoing concern of the impact of the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act on the ability of Indian tribes to protect and respond to cases of Wabanaki women being abused and in cases of sexual assault. “Over the years, Indian tribes in Maine have faced the narrow interpretation by the state that the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act limits the authority of Indian tribes to implement federal Indian legislation. Maine tribes, like Indian tribes across the United States, want to serve and protect Wabanaki women. And as citizens of their respective tribal nation, Wabanaki women want and have the right to such protection.” This interpretation has specifically hampered the ability of Maine tribes to protect Wabanaki women. The VAWA 2013 amendment restoring criminal jurisdiction over non-Indian domestic violence abusers is an important example and a focus of the discussion at the summit.
Wabanaki Women’s Coalition Mission
The Wabanaki Women’s Coalition’s mission is to increase the capacity of tribal communities to respond to domestic and sexual violence, and influence tribal, national, and regional systems to increase awareness, safety, justice, and healing for all our relations.
History
The formation of the Wabanaki Women’s Coalition (WWC) was a long-held dream of the two Maine Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Advocacy Programs that had been providing victim services for over 15 years. It was not until 2012 though that all five Wabanaki Tribes had domestic and/or sexual assault programming. The WWC was incorporated and received IRS 501(c)(3) status effective October 2013. The WWC was first awarded an OVW Grants to Tribal Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalitions in 2014 and hired Jane Root as Executive Director. The WWC is now fully operational and looking forward to the fulfilling of its mission.
Jane Root, Executive Director
P.O. Box 365
Lincolnville, ME 04849
207-538-0858
janeroot@wabanakiwomenscoalition.org
www.WabankiWomensCoalition.org
