Reauthorized Violence Against Women Act Will Help Protect Native Women

The act aims to expand protections for Indian women and address the amount of crimes committed against them by non-Indians.

An update to the Violence Against Women Act is being celebrated as an important step towards protecting native communities, women and children.

“We have an ongoing crisis of violence in Alaska," said Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski. "More than half of women in the Alaska women 2020 victim survey have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both in their lifetime."

Sen. Murkowski led a bi-partisan group of lawmakers to get the reauthorization done. She has worked with many Alaska native women to strengthen and improve the law since its last reauthorization in 2013.