In 2009, Barack Obama became the first president to recognize April as sexual assault awareness month.

Since then, numerous initiatives have sought to combat the problem. President Joe Biden’s administration included $450m in the American Rescue Plan for domestic violence and sexual assault services. But one group remains particularly vulnerable. According to the Department of Justice, Native women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault.

KUNM spoke with Jolene Holgate with the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women. Holgate began by saying the community needs to be accountable to each other through the values they have.