Alaska’s new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative lead investigator Anne Sears spoke to hundreds of advocates for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People gathered in front of the Capitol in Juneau.
Sexual Abuse & Domestic Violence
New provision of Violence Against Women Act empowers tribal governments to exercise jurisdiction on tribal land
The bill establishes a pilot program for tribes to exercise what’s called special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction.
City of Nome pays $750K settlement and apologizes to woman after police mishandled her 2017 rape case
The city of Nome has settled a lawsuit with a former police dispatcher after officers mishandled her sexual assault report, her attorneys announced today.
Biden reauthorizes Violence Against Women Act empowering tribes to prosecute non-Native perpetrators
The Violence Against Women Act focuses on domestic violence and sexual assault survivor programs.
‘Out of the Wilderness’ chronicles Papa Pilgrim’s abuse and his daughter’s escape
Elishaba Doerksen’s new book explains how she escaped despite being shuttered away in the wilderness near McCarthy.
Senate bill would expand power of up to 30 Alaska tribal courts
Tribes in the pilot program would be able to try and sentence anyone who commits domestic violence, rape or related crimes in their villages, even if the offender is non-Native.
Senators offer bill to renew Violence Against Women Act, with a section honoring an Alaska murder victim
Previous efforts to renew the Violence Against Women Act got bogged down in a controversy over guns.
Child protective service worker in Bethel charged with sexual assault of an adult
Several local non-profit organizations that he is a board member of are evaluating whether to remove Jon Cochrane from his positions.
Dunleavy announces wide-ranging ‘People First’ Initiative to address public safety in Alaska
Dunleavy plans to introduce a bill that would increase criminal penalties related to domestic violence and sexual assaults, and to expand the range of offenses defined as domestic violence.
State employee in Juneau charged with possessing child pornography, placed on administrative leave
Bradley Waldron faces 14 felony charges and up to 99 years in prison if convicted. After his arrest, he was released on a $5,000 bond.