Essay on 33% Assault on Native American Women: Unreported Deaths

Around 33% of women are assaulted from the age of 18 years (Yuan et al., 2006). Assault occurs in all races, but social and economic backgrounds significantly make the numbers higher among Native American women. Native American women suffer violence more than White individuals, but the deaths are never reported. While only 18% of White women report being raped in their lifetime, 34% of Native American women have been raped (Yuan et al., 2006). The general cases of assault are also more than double that of other races in the US. Violence against women, therefore, remains a top concern for women rights activists and law enforcers.

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In the movie Wind River, the writer tells of a story of an 18-year-old woman who dies in the snow, but the death is never reported as there are no witnesses. Her body is found frozen in the snow by a wildlife hunter who reports the case to the police. The police take up the matter and start investigating the murder, only to discover that there was also another missing man, who was the girl's boyfriend. The police get concerned when they notice that the security guards to an oil drilling company near the scene of the murder all have scars. They probe the matter further, which leads them to a den where they face the killers who open fire. The gunfire results in the death of some of the Indian police, but the FBI leader and the wildlife hunter survive. The perpetrator of the crime shoots the FBI leader, accompanied by an explosion, but she survives and is admitted to the hospital, then he escapes. The wildlife hunter goes after him and gets him to confess to killing the man and woman. He lets the perpetrator go, and knows he will die due to the cold of the snow, which he does. In the end, justice is served, although the girl's parents are still grieving (Kinocheck International, 2017).

The movie tells of a typical story on the invisibility of women being assaulted, a story of what a girl who was raped and later died a painful death due to the drunkenness and carelessness of a group of men who also killed her boyfriend. Such stories are not uncommon in the US. In the movie, the girl was assaulted at night by a man being protected by his gang. Protection of the perpetrator is a common mistake that residents of the Native American neighborhood make. Choosing to cover up for one of them denies the assault victim justice.

In some cases, they either fail to report to authorities on the incidence or have a "local" understanding. The practice could be attributed to cultural factors (Yuan et al., 2006) since Native Americans have strict rules about sex. Sexual offenses are therefore considered shameful, and the incident should be covered up as much as possible. Instead of revealing the case to the police, they negotiate among themselves on how to deal with the perpetrator and the victim. The perpetrator may or may not be subjected to punishment, but the penalties are never severe. Such protection results in more assault since the suspects know not much will be done.

In the movie, there was no witness to report the incidence. Lack of witnesses or intimidation of any also accounts for the high prevalence of assault among Native American women. Most attacks are performed in dark, deserted places, which give no chance of anyone witnessing them. For those seen by others, the witnesses are often threatened with assault or death if they speak up. The witnesses, therefore, prefer to stay quiet to protect their lives. Only a few come forward, especially in cases where police protection is not assured. The girl escaped into the snow, a place that was also too deserted for anyone to rescue her. The seclusion of Native America neighborhoods is a significant factor for the invisibility of victimization of Native American women. Even when one cries for help in such areas, no one is likely to hear their pleas since homes are often far from each other.

The use of alcohol impairs judgment and increases the chances of being assaulted or assaulting someone (Yuan et al., 2006). Alcohol increases the chances of being attacked since the individual has a decreased ability to fight, run, or hide. Alcohol makes women more vulnerable to being assaulted since they become weaker. Alcohol intake also increases the chance of an individual attacking an innocent person due to impaired judgment. In the movie, Pete and his friends were drunk when they raped the girl and killed her boyfriend. If they had been sober, they would have thought of the adverse effects before hitting the boyfriend repeatedly or deciding to rape a defenseless girl.

Although both men and women are equally exposed to assault, women, and especially Native American women are more vulnerable. Men are exposed to physical assault, while women are at risk of sexual assault. Native American women are at a higher risk of assault since they are exposed to factors such as background and cultural differences, lower security levels, social disadvantages and reduced awareness on how to deal with assault against women.

References

Kinocheck International (2017). Wind River. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7WuKdVhrmA

Yuan, N. P., Koss, M. P., Polacca, M., & Goldman, D. (2006). Risk factors for physical assault and rape among six Native American tribes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21(12), 1566-1590. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17065655