The tribal sexual assault services program (TSASP), which is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12511(E), is one of five grant programs funded within the sexual assault services program (SASP)

The Osage Nation Si-Si A-Pe-Txa received a $675,000 Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program (TSASP) grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. This 3-year project grant, awarded effective October 1, 2024, will enable the organization to provide comprehensive services to victims of sexual assault and human trafficking within the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Key services to be delivered include: a 24-hour resource hotline, non-judgmental support and advocacy, empowerment for victims to make informed decisions, in-house certified sexual assault counseling, support groups, and expanded healing modalities. The grant aims to reduce fragmentation and inconsistencies among service providers, while ensuring services address the needs of both primary and secondary victims. The Osage Nation Si-Si A-Pe-Txa, a federally recognized tribal government entity, will implement this project to support the American Indian and Alaska Native community in Osage County, Oklahoma.

SASP was created by the violence against women and department of justice reauthorization act of 2005 (vawa 2005) and is the first federal funding stream dedicated solely to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. Overall, the purpose of SASP is to provide intervention, advocacy, accompaniment (e.g., accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments), support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, non-offending family and household members of victims, and those collaterally affected by the sexual assault. TSASP supports projects to create, maintain, and expand sustainable sexual assault services provided by tribes, tribal organizations, and nonprofit tribal organizations within indian country and alaska native villages. With this funding, the osage nation (on) is a federally recognized tribal government headquartered in pawhuska, oklahoma. Oklahoma is second only to california in its native american population which is currently over 320,000. There are 38 federally recognized tribal governments in oklahoma. Osage nation SI-SI a-PE-TXA (the healing place) is a separate designated entity that was tasked with the oversight of the family violence prevention department that houses the sexual assault program. In 2021, our organization was established and is governed by the board of directors and osage nation congress. The geographic catchment area for services to be provided in this proposal is osage county, the largest county in the state, located in north central oklahoma. Osage countys boundaries also delineate the entirety of the osage nation SI-SI a-PE-TXA service area. IT is rural, with no large urban areas. With this funding, on will: 1. Provide an effective, empathetic, informative 24 hour resource for victims of SA and human SEX trafficking; 2. Provide non-judgmental support and validation and is empowered to make better decisions regarding next steps as a survivor because they are given information to assist them in making informed decisions; victims rights are protected; 3. Empower victims to make positive decisions regarding reporting, and/or provided with resource information to pursue healing; 4. Provide in-house certified sexual assault advocate counseling services as well as appropriate services for victims of human SEX trafficking; 5. Have all support groups reporting active participation; 6. Continue and expand upon multiple healing modalities to extend choices on the path to recovery for victim/survivors of sexual assault; 7. Reduce fragmentation and inconsistencies among system service providers; and 8. Assure services are in place addressing the issues for secondary victim, this awardwill be a three-year project.