StrongHearts Native Helpline Celebrates a Decade of Hope and Healing

Key Takeaways:

• Nearly 90 percent of callers initially seek validation—not emergency services.
• Culturally centered advocacy helps Native survivors overcome unique barriers to seeking help.
• The StrongHearts Native Helpline is expanding its reach after a decade of serving Indigenous communities.

This article was originally published in 2017. It was updated in 2026. 

When the StrongHearts Native Helpline began taking calls 10 years ago, advocates expected many in crisis to need emergency shelter, legal advocacy or transportation to safety. Instead, they discovered something they hadn't anticipated. Nearly 90 percent of Native callers were seeking something the traditional tracking system didn't even measure: someone to listen.

"People need to be heard and validated—and know they're not crazy," says Lori Jump, director of the helpline and a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Jump was the recipient of the 2026 Purple Ribbon Award’s Lifetime Achievement Award from DomesticShelters.org. 

A common trait of survivors is feeling isolated, often because the abuser has orchestrated just that. On top of that, abusers often brainwash survivors with a rhetoric that no one will believe them or that the abuser is entitled to the violence and control they’re inflicting. In turn, survivors minimize what they’re being subjected to yet continue to feel unsafe in their own homes. 

Jump recalls a story one advocate told her of counseling someone who felt hopeless and unsure they could go on. 

“They were in such crisis and hadn’t necessarily voiced suicidal ideation, but [the advocate] felt that’s where they were.” The two stayed on the phone for as long as it took for the survivor to start feeling hopeful again. 

For Jump, it's a reminder of what the helpline has always been about: meeting survivors in their darkest moments and staying with them until they can see a way forward. Anyone in need of support can call 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483), or chat with an advocate online at strongheartshelpline.org.

Since its inception, the national helpline—once a parent organization of the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center and The National Domestic Violence Hotline—has struck out on its own. Its 30 advocates now receive more than 1,000 calls a month. 

Why Disclosing Abuse Isn’t Simple for Many Native Survivors

Indigenous survivors are an often-underserved population, with members on reservations often found in rural areas and in small towns across the country. Among the 575 federally registered tribal nations in the U.S., there are an estimated 60 domestic violence shelters, says Jump, not nearly enough considering statistics that say more than half of all indigenous women—55.5 percent—have had a partner inflict physical violence on them, and an even higher percentage—56.1 percent—being subjected to sexual violence by those partners. Another 48.8 percent have been stalked by a partner. 

There’s another hurdle for Native survivors as well—research has found that 97 percent of Native survivors experienced violence at the hands of non-Native individuals. And until an expanded version of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) passed in 2013, tribal courts in the 575 federally-recognized Native American tribes across the country did not have jurisdiction over non-Indian perpetrators. This meant these non-Native offenders were essentially granted immunity for their crimes.

This left many survivors feeling like the act of reporting violence—something that requires bravery as well as a possible retraumatization if the survivor is not believed by law enforcement or the courts—wasn’t worth it. 

Yet, Jump is optimistic that things are moving in the right direction. 

“I think that in the past 10 years more people are aware of who we are and what we do and I feel like there’s slightly less stigma about it. People are more open to talk about it,” she says. 

Even so, awareness doesn't erase the unique challenges many Indigenous survivors face. In small, close-knit reservation communities, reporting abuse can mean risking relationships with family, friends, neighbors and tribal members. If a survivor's allegations aren't believed, the result can be social isolation or even reservation-wide shunning. Jump says this barrier only emphasizes the immense need for the Native-specific hotline. 

“It sounds awful but it’s good to know you’re not the only one [experiencing abuse]. It’s a nationwide problem, and you don’t have to be embarrassed or ashamed about what you’re experiencing,” says Jump.

Why Culturally Centered Support Matters

For both American Indian and Alaskan native individuals, access to culturally centered support outside reservations can be limited. 

“Across the board, when you’re working with anybody, it’s important to be knowledgeable about their culture, their belief systems and what’s OK and what isn’t,” says Jump. StrongHearts advocates take the time to learn what healing practices are meaningful to each survivor, whether that's a sweat lodge, smudging, participating in a healing ceremony or another culturally significant tradition. 

“I think our culture is such an important part of who we are, so to go someplace mainstream where you’re not allowed to practice some of our basic traditions is hard.”

Advocates also track cultural abuse voiced by survivors. Abusers have been known to weaponize cultural practices in order to have power and control over their partner. 

“It’s about limiting their access to traditional services or forcing them into these services,” says Jump.  

Ties to Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Epidemic

The murdered and missing indigenous women and relatives crisis is intricately tied to the epidemic of domestic violence among native people, says Jump. On a poster created by the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center for this year’s MMIWR past Week of Action lays out one stark question: “Do you see us?” 

Too often in our society and in the media, the answer is no. 

The FBI reported 10,348 missing Indigenous persons reports filed in 2024 alone, with more than half of those women and most under the age of 18. 

“Murder is at the far end of the spectrum of violence. So many times we find that people who have gone missing or been murdered are at the hands of their partner.”

In an Urban Indian Health Institute study of 506 cases of murdered and missing indigenous individuals, they found that 95 percent of these cases were not covered by mainstream media. In a world where cases like Gabby Petito's dominated national headlines for weeks, the contrast is striking. Advocates say recognizing the connection between domestic violence and the MMIWR crisis is essential because many victims show warning signs of escalating abuse long before they disappear or are killed.

The Next Decade for StrongHearts

For Jump, the next decade of the Native helpline is looking up. Up north, that is. 

“Alaska is a world of its own,” she says. “Their barriers and needs are far different than the lower 48. I don’t think we understand that down here. People are living in areas without roads, where the only transportation is a snowmobile, and you have to fly in to get there.”

The helpline recently posted some open positions for Alaska-specific advocates. Candidates have to live in Alaska in order to have a thorough understanding of the challenges in that area. Jump knows the survivors in that area need them. 

So does another group: young people.

“I’d love for youth to have their own line. If we really want to change domestic and sexual violence we have to be working with our youth in a much more consistent and effective manner. Our movement has been reactive. What can we do to help people before they become survivors?”

Help Is a Phone Call (or Text) Away

If you’re a Native person experiencing domestic violence or know someone who is, contact StrongHearts Native Helpline by calling or texting 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483), or chatting online at strongheartshelpline.org.