Domestic Violence
Another problem related to alcohol abuse in the American Indian people is do- mestic violence, sexual abuse, and the battering of women. A battered woman is one who is physically assaulted by her husband, boyfriend, or another signifi- cant other. The assault may consist of a push; severe, even permanent injury; sexual abuse; child abuse; or neglect. Once the pattern of abuse is established, subsequent episodes tend to get worse. This abuse is not traditional in American Indian life but has evolved. True American Indian love is based on a tradition of mutual respect and the belief that men and women are part of an ordered universe where the people should live in peace. In the traditional American Indian home, children were raised to respect their parents, and they were not corporally punished. Violence toward women was not practiced. In modern times, however, the sanctions and protections against domestic violence have decreased, and the women are far more vulnerable. Many women are reluctant to admit that they are victims of abuse because they believe that they will be blamed for the assault. Hence, the beatings continue. A number of services are available to women who are victims, such as safe houses and support groups. It is believed that the long-range solution to this problem lies in teaching children to love—to nurture children and give them self-esteem, to teach boys to love and respect women, and to give girls a sense of worth. Amnesty International calls sexual abuse against American Indian women a “maze of injustice.” It is “the failure to protect Indigenous women from sexual violence in the USA.” The disproportionate impact on American Indian women is derived from dis- parate communities that vary with respect to law enforcement, jurisdiction, and health care and support services (Grenier & Lockjer, 2007, p. 3).
Domestic violence has a profound effect on the community and on the family. A pattern of abuse is easily established. It begins with tension: The female attempts to keep peace but the male cannot contain himself, a fight erupts, and then the crisis arrives. The couple may make up, only to fight again. Attempts to help must be initiated, or the cycle escalates. The problem is
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