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MIWSAC : Minnesota Indian Women Sexual Assault Coalition : Miwsac.org

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Upcoming Events

Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition with

Mille Lacs Band Family Violence Prevention Program welcomes you to:

The 7th Annual RESTORING THE SACRED TRAILS OF OUR GRANDMOTHERS:

SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO END SEXUAL VIOLENCE



April 29, 2013 9am – 5pm     
Evening Activity: 7pm-10pm
April 30, 2013 9am – 5pm     
Traditional Pow-Wow to honor Survivors: 7pm-10pm
May 1, 2013 9am –Noon



Grand Casino Hinckley
777 Lady Luck Drive Hinckley, MN 55037
(800) 472-6321
www.grandcasinomn.com



Group hotel rate is $49 per night.
To make reservations, call 1-800-472-6321 and reference GROUP:
Minnesota Indian Woman Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC) to get the discounted rates on or before Monday, April 8, 2013.


Registration Deadline April 8, 2013

For Registration, Scholarship, or Vendor Forms please contact Cristine Davidson at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or the MIWSAC office 651-646-4800 or 1-877-995-4800

****THERE IS NO CONFERENCE FEE FOR THIS EVENT ****










 

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 ~~~2013  MIWSAC Dates to Remember~~~


March 11th-12th, 2013            Action Day to End Violence Against Woman Rally

April 29th –May 1st, 2013        7th Annual Conference - Hinckley

May 23rd- 24th, 2013              Coalition Meeting  - Shakopee

June 2013                              9th Annual Native Youth Girls Retreat _TBA

August 22nd- 23rd, 2013         Coalition Meeting  - Prairie Island

October 17th – 18th, 2013       Annual Meeting - Duluth

*The Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition can provide limited scholarships to Members to cover mileage and lodging to participate in coalition meetings. Mileage is reimbursed at a rate of $.50 per mile. Expense forms for reimbursement will be available at the meeting. We are asking members to ask their organization to help cover reimbursement costs as MIWSAC funds are very limited.

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 *******MEDIA ADVISORY******* 

For immediate release • October 24, 2011

Garden of Truth:  The Prostitution and Trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota

Contact: Lonna Hunter, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it • 651/646-4800 or 651/442-3253

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR FULL GARDEN OF TRUTH REPORT PDF

 

WHAT:  Public release of the ground-breaking report

Garden of Truth: The Prostitution and Trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota.

Based on personal interviews and stories of 105 Native women in the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Bemidji, this first- ever study of prostitution and trafficking of Native women in Minnesota will be released by the Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC) and Prostitution Research & Education. The report was produced with generous support from the Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, and Tides Foundation. 

WHEN:  Thursday, October 27
2:00pm press conference with report authors Melissa Farley and Nicole Matthews (call-in number below)
2:30pm public event with report authors and community leaders, honoring ceremony and reception
 
WHERE:  William Mitchell College of Law Auditorium (Room 245) •  875 Summit Avenue, St. Paul 
 
SPEAKERS: 
Report authors 

  • Melissa Farley, Director, Prostitution Research and Education, San Francisco Women's Centers
  • Nicole Matthews, Executive Director, Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC)
  • Sarah Deer, Assistant Professor, William Mitchell College of Law 
  • Guadalupe Lopez, Membership and Outreach Coordinator, MIWSAC
  • Christine Stark, co-editor of Not for Sale
  • Eileen Hudon, researcher, writer, policy advocate, and MIWSAC member  

Video message from US Senator Al Franken 



Other speakers

  • Suzanne Koepplinger, Executive Director, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center
  • Patty Wetterling, Program Director, MN Department of Health Sexual Violence Prevention Program 
  • Eric Janus, President and Dean, William Mitchell College of Law



Musicians: Sarah Curtiss, Oshkii Giizhik Singers; Drum Group, Mpls Council of Churches Division of Indian Work 
 
BACKGROUND:

Garden of Truth is the first study detailing the personal experiences of Native women who have been prostituted and trafficked in Minnesota. Following on the 2009 report, Shattered Hearts: The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of American Indian Women and Girls in Minnesota by the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, and the 2008 Sex Trafficking Needs Assessment for the State of  Minnesota by Advocates for Human Rights, the new Garden of Truth study provides powerful personal accounts of violence, poverty, survival, and strength by Native women themselves. The 105 women interviewed for the report describe extreme and frequent violence including child sexual abuse, rape, beatings, and traumatic brain injuries, with a majority  experiencing symptoms of PTSD. 98% of the women have been homeless and 92% want to escape prostitution but believe they have no other options. The study authors stress that these women's strengths as well as their vulnerabilities must be seen in the context of a history of systematic harm to Native people, racism, poverty, and a lack of housing, healthcare, job, and educational opportunities.  
 
MEDIA VISUALS: On display at the event will be the Honoring Survivors Shawls, colorful hand-made shawls created to honor all generations of survivors of sexual violence. Also present will be drummers and singers. 
 
About the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC)
MIWSAC is a statewide tribal coalition of individuals and organizations working to prevent and end sexual violence against Native women. MIWSAC was created in 2001 through funding from the US Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women, and is one of 22 tribal coalitions addressing gender violence in Native communities. www.miwsac.org. 
 
Garden of Truth Press Conference Call-in instructions 
To participate in the 2:00 pm media conference via phone, dial:  
 
Toll free: 800.566.2245
Toll call: 913.312.9372
 
Enter the following number when prompted: 035177#
 
If you experience any difficulties with the call-in procedure, please contact Lonna Hunter at 651.646.4800 or 651.442.3253


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For further information about any gathering, please contact:
Minnesota Indian Woman’s Sexual Assault Coalition
1619 DAYTON AVE, SUITE 303, SAINT PAUL, MN 55104
Phone: 651-646-4800 Fax: 651-646-4798
Toll Free: 877-995-4800
www.miwsac.org 

 

 
 

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Get Help Now

As a tribal coalition, MIWSAC does not provide emergency or directs services.
If you are in an unsafe situation or need immediate assistance please dial 911.  For a safe, confidential way to talk with someone right now, please call: Rape Abuse Incest National Network-1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) www.rainn.org National Domestic Violence Hotline- 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) ww.ndvh.org.