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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEVAWO
FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1999202/307-0703

INDIAN TRIBES TO RECEIVE $4.7 MILLION

TO COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Forty-two Indian tribal governments in 19 states will receive more than $4 million in funding to improve services for Indian women who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, the Justice Department announced today. In addition, funds can be used to enhance prosecution efforts in these cases. The $4.7 million in FY 1999 STOP Violence Against Indian Women grant funds are being awarded through the Department's Violence Against Women Office (VAWO).

"Tribal communities have traditionally lacked services for domestic violence victims," said Attorney General Reno. "These funds will help strengthen the system's ability to assist these victims and improve justice for Indian women."

Ten tribal governments that have not previously received STOP Indian funds will be awarded grants ranging from $50,000 to $90,000. An additional 32 tribal governments will receive grants up to $285,556 to continue projects begun with FY 1995 and FY 1997 grant funds.

"Indian women who suffer from domestic and sexual abuse are often left geographically and emotionally isolated because the services they need are unavailable or too far away," said Bonnie Campbell, VAWO Director. "These funds allow us to bring services to these women and meet their unique needs."

The American Indian Law Center, Mending the Sacred Hoop, and Sacred Circle, organizations comprised of Indian experts and leaders in their tribal communities, will receive a total of $2.3 million to provide technical assistance and training to the STOP Indian tribal grantees. The consultants include tribal judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, advocates and Indian law scholars.

Four percent of each fiscal year's STOP appropriation is statutorily reserved for the discretionary grants to tribal governments to develop and strengthen tribal law enforcement, prosecutorial strategies and victim services in cases involving violent crimes against Indian women. In Fiscal Year 1999, the set aside equals $8.2 million.

The STOP Violence Against Indian Women grants are authorized under the Violence Against Women Act provisions of the 1994 Crime Law. Attached is a list of the specific grant awards.

More information about STOP and other violence against women efforts is available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/VAWGO or OJP's Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov, or call the National Criminal Justice Reference Service toll-free on 1/800-851-3420.

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VAW99048

After hours contact: Linda Mansour on 202/616-3534 or page on 202/516-6843

STATE

TRIBAL GRANTEE

AWARD AMOUNT

ALASKA Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes

$50,000

Hoonah Indian Association

$50,000

CALIFORNIA Southern Indian Health Council

$88,169

MAINE Passamaquoddy Tribe

$90,000

NORTH DAKOTA Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe

$90,000

OREGON Confederated Tribes of

Warm Springs

$90,000

WASHINGTON Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe

$90,000

Quinault Indian Tribe

$50,000

Upper Skagit Indian Nation

$50,000

WYOMING Shoshone and Arapaho

Joint Business Council

$90,000

TOTAL

10

$738,169

April 1999

STATE

TRIBAL GRANTEE

AWARD AMOUNT

ALASKA Bristol Bay Native Association

$105,014

Native Village of St. Michael

$95,760

South Central Foundation

$162,527

Tanana Chiefs Conference

$142,361

ARIZONA Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community

$285,556

CALIFORNIA Round Valley Tribal Council

$89,175

IDAHO Nez Pierce Tribe

$97,306

MASSACHUSETTS Wampanoag Tribe

of Gayhead

$65,197

MICHIGAN Bay Mills Indian Community

$86,064

Hannahville Indian Community

$96,500

MISSISSIPPI Mississippi Band of

Choctaw Indians

$90,000

MONTANA Crow Tribe

$99,743

Fort Belknap Indian Community

$156,364

NEVADA Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

$104,268

NEW MEXICO Jicarilla Apache Tribe

$125,101

Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council

$145,209

Pueblo of Acoma

$100,000

Pueblo of Jemez

$111,154

NORTH CAROLINA Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

$90,000

NORTH DAKOTA Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold Reservation

$79,605

OKLAHOMA Apache Tribe of Oklahoma

$90,000

Muscogee Creek Nation

$124,974

Osage Tribe of Oklahoma

$199,961

OREGON Confederated Tribes of

Grand Ronde

$88,500

SOUTH DAKOTA Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

$121,441

Lower Brule Sioux Tribe

$133,920

Oglala Sioux Tribe

$231,663

Rosebud Sioux Tribe

$240,000

WASHINGTON Suquamish Tribe

$154,777

WISCONSIN Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa

$101,477

Oneida Tribe

$88,787

St. Croix Chippewa Indians

$110,625

TOTAL

32

$4,013,029

April 1999