Sensitivity To Victim Needs

As proffessional, it is our responsibility to suspend judgement regardless of the circimstance. Treat each victim with respect and acknowledge the courage and strengths they have exhibited for reporting and seeking our services.

Sexual assault victims experience varying degrees of psychological trauma. An individual’s perception of how a sexual assault victim should look, dress or act, and the way those perceptions are conveyed can have significant effect upon the victim’s recovery process in the weeks and months following the crime. Each person has his or her method of coping with sudden stress. When severly traumatized, victims can appear calm, indifferent, submissive, angry, or even uncooperative and hostile toward those who are trying to help. Misinterpretations of a victim’s reaction to their assault may lead to further trauma and hinder the interview, evidence collection or legal proceedings.

Listed below are some of the feelings that may be felt by victims:

• Fear of offender
• Fear of what family and friends might think
• Fear of others finding out
• Guilt and feelings that she or he is responsible for the assault
• Sense of vulnerability and general fear of people
• Loss of control over her or his own life
• Embarrassment
• Anxiety
• Concern for the offender’s well being, especially in cases of acquaintance or spousal rape
• Shame-loss of self respect
• Stupidity or foolishness
• Anger
• Confusion
• Sexual Assault Crisis line (920) 436 8899 24 hours

Plea for Help!

Tashina Cheyenne Vaughn General went missing Jan 22 ,2008, her body was found April 25th 2008. She had been murdered as reported by the Brantford Expositor( strangled)she was buried in a shallow grave covered with tree branches on the property of her former boyfriend.  Tashina was in her first trimester of pregnancy.She was 21 years old.She had already named her baby “Tucker” .

I , along with Indigenous Elders &youth Council ,Native Womens’ Assoc.of Canada and other agencies dealing with violence came together and organized a memorial walk July 5th 2008. We are planning another walk for justice on August 30,2008 here at Six Nations Grand River Territory in Ontario.The walk for justice ,sisters in spirit began in Vancouver B.C.and are walking to Ottawa to present the issues of violence against native women and to begin an Inquiry on all deaths of native women . I spoke with the organizer of the walk and explained the death of my granddaughter and asked them to do a presentation in our community .they agreed. The agenda is presently being developed .
As the iroquois Nation ,we are matrilineal and my daughter Denise will not have the opportunity to have a grandchild to carry forth the Wolf  clan as Tashina was her only daughter .
In Canada ther is no law to protect unborn children. AS ongwehoweh/Haudenasaunee , aniishnabe  nations we understand our pregnant women and the the  baby are sacred and when the baby is conceived and the heart beats, the baby is alive .

We, the family of Tashina demand  as native people to uphold our rights that those coming faces ,yet unborn to this earth walk have life within the womb, the heart beats and has already been assigned a responsibility .
We are moving to establish a law “Tuckers Law” that will addresse the sacred life of the unborn and the death of that sacred life through violence be also a haneous crime and punisable by LAw .

The person charged with Tashina’s murder is charged only Second degree murder and remains in custody . The next appearence in court is Aug. 29,2008.  The  person is not charged with the death of the unborn child “Tucker ”
I am requesting support in this matter

Nya Weh
(thankyou)

Norma General
wolf clan Cayuga Nation