- Details
- By Chuck Hoskin Jr
Guest Opinion. Protecting women and children from violence within the Cherokee Nation Reservation is a deeply personal cause for First Lady January Hoskin and me. Likewise, the Cherokee Nation tribal government has a solemn duty to protect safety and ensure justice across our 14-county reservation.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and it is an excellent time to reinforce our tribe’s commitment to combatting domestic violence and helping survivors in ways that are sensitive, timely and, most of all, effective.
Want more Native News? Get the free daily newsletter today.
We already have one of Indian Country’s most innovative programs in place: the ONE FIRE Victim Services office. ONE FIRE, which stands for Our Nation Ending Fear, Intimidation, Rape, and Endangerment, serves the immediate needs of survivors in their time of crisis and assists them in healing. ONE FIRE’s staff represent the best values of the Cherokee Nation, with an emphasis on wellness, culture and family. They provide comprehensive services and access to resources, including law enforcement protection, legal analysis, housing aid, job placement, educational needs, health care and counseling, Over the past year, ONE FIRE has supported 334 new clients and continues serving another 200 clients from the previous year.
Last year, to extend ONE FIRE’s reach, we relocated their headquarters to a more secure location in Tahlequah and invested millions of dollars in a new transitional living center in Stilwell, which will be operational soon. We recently secured a multimillion-dollar federal grant that we can use to do even more for victims of domestic violence.
I am proud of the ONE FIRE staff who are transforming the way we understand and respond to domestic violence. These women and men come to work every day, and oftentimes after hours, to assist survivors through some of their most harrowing life experiences.
To build on this work, I recently signed an executive order creating the Task Force to Protect Women and Families. This 11-member group of community and tribal leaders will review Cherokee Nation’s current policies for helping domestic violence victims and their families. They will also develop recommendations to improve these strategies for the future.
The executive order also requires Cherokee Nation employees to self-disclose any arrests, active protective orders, warrants and criminal charges. The self-disclosure must be made to the tribe within 48 hours, and failure to do so will result in disciplinary action, including termination. Additionally, it requires training for employees to recognize, prevent and report domestic violence.
The Cherokee people are counting on us to end domestic violence on our reservation. We must not only provide pathways to safety for victims and the support needed to rebuild their lives but also, just as importantly, we must hold perpetrators accountable and prosecute abusers.
Since March, more than 400 cases have been filed in Cherokee Nation District Court involving domestic violence, threats of violence, kidnapping or sexual violence. We continue to expand our courts, hire new staff and focus on bringing justice to those who need it most.
This executive order and our task force’s recommendations will improve our efforts on all these fronts. Without question, I believe the steps we are taking today will save lives.
Yet, as the leader of the largest Indian nation in the United States, I know that it is not enough. We must challenge ourselves by continually asking tough questions about what we can do better. That is why I signed the executive order creating the Task Force to Protect Women and Families, and that is why I will continue to push for improvements until domestic violence rates are drastically reduced across the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
Chuck Hoskin, Jr. is the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.
More Stories Like This
Leading the Way in Rare Disease AdvocacyFor Native Communities, Medicaid Is a Promise Washington Must Keep
“One Beautiful Bill” Would Be a Tragic Setback for Indian Country
Federal Courts Left (Not) to Protect Sacred Sites
Joining the Call to Save Job Corps
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher