The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) continues to fund grants for Indian Tribal Governments and authorized tribal designees to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking in tribal communities.

If you are a survivor, this kind of funding can matter in very practical ways: it may help support advocacy, shelter, legal help, emergency response, counseling, and coordinated community services. It does not mean every community has the same services, and it does not guarantee immediate help in every area. But it can strengthen the network of support that survivors may be able to reach.

For many Native and Indigenous survivors, safety planning and healing are shaped by more than one system at once: tribal services, local law enforcement, state systems, federal agencies, and community-based supports. Grants like this are designed to help tribal governments build or sustain responses that are more culturally grounded and more responsive to community needs.

That can mean:

• more access to advocates who understand tribal systems and community realities
• stronger coordination between service providers
• support for emergency and long-term safety planning
• help for survivors of multiple forms of harm, including trafficking and stalking
• services that may be more culturally relevant and survivor-centered

This funding is intended to support tribal governments and their authorized designees, which may include tribal programs, shelters, advocacy organizations, or other service providers working on behalf of the tribe.

It may help:

• Native and Indigenous adults and youth experiencing abuse
• survivors living on tribal lands or in tribal communities
• survivors who need help with domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, or trafficking
• family members, caregivers, and allies trying to support someone safely

If you are not sure whether your community has a program funded through this grant, you can still ask. You do not need to prove your situation before reaching out for support.

Depending on the local program, help may include:

• a confidential or private conversation with an advocate
• emergency shelter or safe housing options
• safety planning for home, work, school, or travel
• help with protection orders or court accompaniment
• transportation to services or appointments
• support after sexual assault, including referrals for medical care
• help documenting abuse or preserving evidence
• referrals for counseling, healing services, or child support services
• information about tribal, state, or federal reporting options

Not every program offers every service. If one place cannot help, ask for a referral to another trusted program.

• Call emergency services if it is safe to do so.
• If calling is unsafe, try to get to a safer place, such as a neighbor, store, clinic, or public area.
• If you can, use a device the abusive person cannot access.

• Contact your local tribal domestic violence or sexual assault program.
• Ask whether they have an advocate, shelter, legal support, or a hotline.
• If you are on or near tribal lands, ask specifically for tribal services.
• If you are unsure where to start, contact a national hotline and ask for tribal-specific referrals.

• Ask what feels safest before taking action.
• Do not contact the abusive person on their behalf unless they clearly ask you to.
• Offer practical support: a ride, a phone, a safe place to store documents, or help finding a confidential advocate.
• Respect their choices, even if they are not the choices you would make.

• Your safety matters more than collecting evidence or making a report.
• You do not have to decide everything today.
• It is okay to ask for help without sharing every detail.
• If the abusive person monitors your phone, email, or location, use caution when searching for services.
• Clear call logs, browser history, and messages only if doing so will not put you at greater risk.
• If possible, create a code word with a trusted person to signal when you need help.

You can keep your questions simple:

• Do you serve tribal members and non-members?
• Is this service confidential?
• Do you have an advocate who understands tribal systems?
• Can you help with safety planning?
• Do you offer shelter, transportation, or legal referrals?
• Can you help if the abuse is stalking, trafficking, or sexual assault?
• What should I do if I cannot safely call back?

Confidentiality rules can vary by program and location. Before sharing details, you can ask:

• Who will know I contacted you?
• What information do you keep?
• Can I remain anonymous for an initial call?
• Is there a safe way to leave a message?

If you are in a small community, privacy concerns are real. It is okay to say, “I need to know how you protect confidentiality before I share more.”

This resource update confirms that OVW grants are available for tribal governments and authorized designees nationwide, but it does not tell us:

• which specific tribes or programs received funding
• how much funding each community received
• what services are currently available in your area
• whether a local program has open intake right now

Because of that, the most useful next step is to contact a local tribal program or a national hotline for current referrals.

If you need support and do not know where to start, consider:

• your local tribal domestic violence or sexual assault program
• a tribal social services office
• a trusted community advocate, elder, or health clinic
• a national domestic violence hotline that can help locate tribal resources
• a sexual assault hotline or trafficking support line if those are the main concerns

If you want, you can also ask a clinic, school counselor, or legal aid office to help you find a tribal-specific advocate.

If you are reading this while feeling scared, overwhelmed, or unsure, you do not have to solve everything at once. The purpose of this funding is to make support more available in tribal communities, and you deserve support that is respectful, culturally grounded, and centered on your safety.

If you can only do one thing today, consider reaching out to one trusted person or one local program and saying: “I need help figuring out my options.”