What About Intimate Partner Violence, Gun Violence, and When They Intersect?

• There have been almost 300 school shootings since 2013.
• 54% of gun violence tragedies are cases related to domestic or family violence.
• Perpetrators of mass shootings, far from being strangers to their victims, are usually intimate partners. They kill their romantic partners and family members, as well as friends, neighbors, co-workers and innocent bystanders.
• The alleged Florida shooter had recently been expelled from the school due to actions perpetuated by teen domestic violence. The shooter stalked and threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend.
• The tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern history.
• This is the 17th school shooting in the last 45 days.
• There were 18 warning calls about the alleged shooter between 2008 and 2017 before the February shooting took place.
• What does a two-year timeline before a shooting look like? These are some signs a youth may be in need of help.
• To learn more about intimate partner, gun violence and safety for Native women, please the Restoration Magazine for Firearms Protection Legislation and Safety for Native Women: Are Legal Reforms Falling Short of Reaching Native Women?
• Supreme Court Confirms that Federal Firearm Prohibition Applies to all Individuals Convicted of Domestic Violence.
• Report: Violence Against Native American and Alaska Native Women and Men.

What About Youth Intimate Partner Violence/Teen Dating Violence?

• 81.2% of parents do not think teen dating violence is an issue.
• Nearly 1.5 million high school students are physically abused by dating partners.
• Youth ages 16–24 experience domestic violence at the HIGHEST rate of any other group. This is almost THREE times the national average.
• Only 33% of youth that have experienced teen dating violence ever told anyone about it.
• Among youth that have been physically or sexually assaulted, 50% reported attempting suicide.
• Youth experiencing violent behavior usually begins between the ages of 12 to 18.
• Abuse during adolescence can have serious lifelong consequences such as repeating the cycle of violence, repeating the cycle of victimization, substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, and other impacts.
• 42% of college-age students are stalked by their ex-intimate partner.
• In college, 35% of attempted rapes, 22.9% of threatened rapes, and 12.8% of completed rapes occur on an actual date.
• Research indicates that 78% of AI/ AN women who identify as bisexual, lesbian, or Two Spirit/ Native LGBTQ have experienced physical assault. 85% have experienced sexual violence.
• Two Spirit/ Native LGBTQ/People of Color are 1.82%  times as likely to experience violence than non-Native/non-People of Color.
• 75% of transgender men and 20% of transgender women do not receive needed medical attention after an assault.
• 50.1% of Two Spirit/Native LGBTQ survivors did not even report to police.
• 84% of American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime.

About The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, Inc.

The Mission of NIWRC is to support culturally grounded, grassroots advocacy and to provide national leadership to ending gender-based violence in indigenous communities through the development of educational materials and programs, direct technical assistance, and the development of local and national policy that builds the capacity of Indigenous communities and strengthens the exercise of tribal sovereignty. NIWRC also stands with ALL communities to end violence and promote healing in the aftermath of violence. Together, advocates and activists of all ages will never stop fighting for justice. To visit the National Indian Resource Center website for more information:                            http://www.niwrc.org

About the NativeLove Project

Verizon has partnered with NIWRC to raise awareness and help end violence against Native youth by empowering them to redefine Native love. Those of us in Native communities often hear jokes about “Indian loving” as waking up with a hickey and black eye- that’s not love, that’s dating violence. Our NativeLove project encourages Native youth to think about what NativeLovereally is, so we can create change in our thinking and restore safety to our communities by restoring our traditional ways of loving characterized by respect, honor, kindness, family, and compassion. To learn more: http://nativelove.niwrc.org