Tribal Communities, Safe Space, and Intimate Partner Violence

This chapter considers the challenges of responding to intimate partner violence in tribal communities, where kinship ties are key to mental health and identity. The historical context of colonization, genocide, and the imposition of patriarchal values on family life is the backdrop for understanding intimate partner violence among indigenous women, the limitations of informal support, and the failures of the criminal justice response. Recommendations include the incorporation of indigenous values into the response to intimate partner violence, using community-based advocacy to hold the offender accountable and keep indigenous women safe.