Navajo Nation Services by Eve's Place

The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American territory covering 27,425 square miles, occupying portions of NE Arizona, SE Utah, and NW New Mexico. This is the largest land area retained by a U.S. tribe, with a total population of 173,667. Of the total population, 96% are Native American. Most of the Navajo Nation is undeveloped and many areas are geographically isolated. The vast and mountainous desert environment that comprises the Navajo Nation, and the long, desolate highways between towns and larger communities pose immense barriers for the provision and coordination of services for victims. Many Navajo Nation residents face commutes of more than one hour to the nearest hospital, medical, or other essential services. 

Tribal victims face substantial obstacles in overcoming the impact and aftermath of these crimes including inaccessibility of social service resources, limited financial resources, and misinformation or lack of awareness about available resources and their rights as victims. Historically, victims have only had one option when dealing with domestic violence… to enter shelter, leaving everything behind in order to find support and safety. Sexual abuse and teen dating abuse victims have no resources outside of behavioral health services. Victims need practical services, such as support, legal advocacy, housing, transportation, assistance with their children and the ability to have services even if they do not want to leave the abusive relationship or enter a shelter. Victims have multiple issues to contend with, such as not having employment, children in boarding schools in other areas, childcare and transportation needs, and a temporary shelter stay generally does not provide them enough time to address all the issues to find stability or begin healing from their trauma. (Arizona State University, Morrison Institute for Public Policy, 2014). Victims need to have access to crisis support when it's safe to reach out. They need someone to follow up with them, to know there is a person who is there for them when they are ready and on their terms. Victims need support and assistance in accessing resources without being left to find them on their own. In addition, many Navajo Nation legal issues involve multiple federal, state and tribal laws. Therefore, victims require attorneys who are familiar with tribal govt and state/federal govts as well as between Navajo victim's vs non-Navajo perpetrators to process their case.