Historically, sexual violence was one of many ways white colonists asserted power over Native/Indigenous communities. That history has continued to have a strong impact on Native/Indigenous survivors. On a national level, sexual assault is the MOST underreported crime, with approximately 3% of assaults being reported to law enforcement. A system that was built by and for white oppressors will often fail everyone else, including Native/Indigenous survivors of sexual assault. With factors like complicated laws surrounding jurisdiction, negative experiences with law enforcement, and a long history of their abuse being justified, it’s easy to understand why many Native/Indigenous survivors don’t report their sexual assaults to police. Especially, because there is no guarantee those survivors will be believed. For Native/Indigenous survivors, #DenimIsn’tAlwaysDenim, it’s can also be a history of colonialism built on their oppression.
