Rapid City, SD. - The HOPE (Healing for our People Everywhere) Conference is scheduled to take place in Rapid City, South Dakota at the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn on December 18, 19, and 20, 2009; coinciding with the Lakota Nation Invitational. The purpose of this conference is to begin an open dialogue and the healing process by addressing the silent epidemic of child sexual trauma which has plagued Indian Country for generations. This conference is open to the public. The conference is being organized by a consortium national and community leaders,experts, and activists.
The epidemic of sexual trauma and sexual abuse is well documented statistically and yet remains prevalent among Native people. Karen Artichoker (Oglala) states: "It's clear that tribal, state and federal institutions that have a responsibility to respond have not prioritized the issue."
The HOPE Conference endeavors to respond by calling upon Indian Country's finest experts, community leaders, artists/activists, health care professionals and survivors to bring this subject to the circle for an open dialogue, to consider solutions and to begin the healing process.
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