Here at the Navajo Human Rights Commission public hearing on Navajo gender violence and Violence against Navajo women and LGBTQs at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Ariz. The hearing is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
VIRGINA EDGEWATER
I’m a victim of domestic violence and I’m a survivor. I’ve called police and police don’t want to be involved when it involves one of their relatives. I went to police station where windows are boarded up and all you can hear are individuals giggling. I went to county police station where you can see police staff who are behind bullet proof window. It’s very professional. Where did all our Navajo teachings go? Our elders have been put in nursing homes off the reservation. Our people think our teachings are myths. And we shouldn’t hid these problems. Long time, grandmother would make you tell her what is happening with you. Our leaders don’t address anything and only time talk so hot is when they are campaigning. And we never had nursing homes. And expecting police to solve our problems is not working. We need self actualization. We need to stop and think. And Human Rights has stepped in to help us re-evaluate ourselves. I appreciate your efforts. Our leaders are ignorant and arrogant. They just ignore you. I go to Council chambers and try to sit down with them. They just nod their heads, brag about what they are doing and then they say they have to go to a meeting. I think that doing an awareness would help and it would be a start towards prevention. It could be thru court where perpetrated mandated to attend training. There is a big need for that. I got to meet FBI from Flagstaff and he told me about federal domestic violence law that only allows violation three times before they end up in federal prison. The little information I get at conferences I try to pass on. Lastly Navajo judicial syatem and prosecutors severely abused me simply because people were related. I was put I jail so many times. I was brought from Chinle to Window Rock for over 32 hours which is beyond statute of limitations. It still haunts me and Navajo Nation should be investigated, especially Bedonies from Chinle and I’m on record about that. I beat the system by getting judges, prosecutors recused. I was the victim but the system identified me as the perpetrator.
