Deer receives Dept. of Justice award

Professor Deer receives prestigious award from U.S. Attorney General Eric HolderWilliam Mitchell Professor Sarah Deer has been recognized by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for outstanding work on behalf of crime victims.

Deer received the Allied Professional Award Friday, April 8 at an event hosted by the Department of Justice. The award recognizes Deer’s dedication to addressing and ending the crime of sexual violence against Native American women.

According to a Department of Justice announcement of the award, Deer’s vast knowledge about issues related to addressing the epidemic levels of sexual violence against Native American women and jurisdiction issues was vital in the development of a series of comprehensive recommendations in Amnesty International’s 2007 report Maze of Injustice. This report drew congressional attention to sexual violence against Native American women and contributed to the 2010 enactment of the Tribal Law and Order Act.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Conspiracy of Silence Stigmatizes Native Women and Media Ignores Victimized Native Women.