The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), first passed by the U.S. senate in 1994
and renewed again in 2000, expires at the end of June. At a recent conference
in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the National Congress of American Indians, which supports
the bill's renewal, expressed the need for increased tribal jurisdiction over
non-Indians who commit violent crimes against Indian women. Nearly 70 percent
of violent crimes against Indian women are perpetrated by individuals outside
of the Indian community, reports Indianz.com. The provisions of a renewed VAWA
bill would provide aid to police organizations, law enforcement officials, and
non profit and humanitarian groups working toward victim rehabilitation.
