Murkowski Pushes for Victim Protections in Rural Alaska

Press Release

Senator Lisa Murkowski today took the opportunity of a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on "Victims Service in Indian Country" to decry the cycle of violence among Alaska Natives -- and seek common-sense solutions to overcome the challenges in rural Alaska. With a witness from the State of Alaska there, Murkowski pushed for answers to how better to protect the most vulnerable Alaskans. Murkowski also leveraged the appearance of a Bureau of Indian Affairs official to push for answers to why the Obama administration is proposing to take vital resources away from victims' services funds.

Rapid Response and Collecting Evidence a Must

When the time came for Murkowski to pose questions, she opened up by laying out the harsh realities being faced by Native Americans and Alaska Natives, worried that some are growing "numb to" the shocking statistics out there.

Murkowski then focused on the troubling disagreement in rural Alaska over rape kits -- the collection of evidence needed to prosecute violent offenders -- noting that she recently found out that this first step was being cancelled due to budgetary reasons. An exasperated Murkowski asked:

"I understand that in Bethel, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Center has stopped collecting evidence from rape victims or had stopped because of a funding issue. This is a community of 6,000 people and the outlying villages where there's nobody to collect the evidence. So if you can't collect the evidence, there will be no rapid response, there will be no prosecution, there will be no justice for that victim. So he or she just gives up. Just gives up because we haven't been able to take the first step. Mr. Godfrey, can you confirm whether or not we have resolved the situation in Bethel are they now collecting evidence from victims of rape have we addressed that?"

Gerad Godfrey, Senior Advisor on Rural Business and Intergovernmental Affairs for the State of Alaska, informed Murkowski that he was being told that the hospital sees this function as "a law enforcement function, not a medical function" -- and didn't know why they were conducting them.

Efficacy of Youth Education Programs

In a follow-up question to Gerad Godfrey, Senator Murkowski asked him just what advantages could be gained through "Erin's Laws" that are being debated in states across the country, including Alaska as prevention-oriented educational programs:

"I know the governor is very supportive of Erin's Law. How important do you think legislation like that that effectively puts in place sexual assault prevention education so that we do have this awareness?"

Godfrey gave an extended explanation of what he sees the value of such policies could be, beginning with personal anecdotes about his upbringing in Bethel. He talked about the culture of silence in many villages on troubling personal issues, and how the pre-emptive education campaigns could serve an important role.

"We didn't have that type of education in Bethel and that type of good touch bad touch curriculum. But the danger is if someone doesn't illuminate for young children this is not right, don't allow this to happen to you, someone shouldn't treat you this way. Instead, they spend most of their time in their household and the message is this is, this is happening to me this must be what happens and they don't talk about it…The only thing I see that would combat that, short of having a police live in the household, is you educate these kids and counter-message the message that's happening in the household, the message through actions."

Source