After Care
AFTER CARE REFERRALS | WAVI | SIRA | TRADITIONAL HEALING | SSS - I
Aftercare Referrals
Peaceful Means often operates on the front lines of the tribal rape epidemic. Though our focus is prevention we do provide various aftercare resources to help survivors. Experience has revealed that in the course of our duties we will receive disclosures from students who have been assaulted, are being assaulted or threatened with assault. Instructors receive extensive training to follow all legal, tribal, and school procedures while managing disclosures through a trauma-informed lens. We partner with existing local aftercare networks and agencies to help survivors access the care they need.
Working Against Violence Inc. ( WAVI )
In the spirit of going the extra mile PM Pine Ridge staff applied for and received a grant to partner with Working Against Violence Inc. (WAVI) The goal is to bring another layer of expertise and services to students that disclose to PM Staff. Based in Rapid City WAVI offers help to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking. They also provide safe shelter, a 24/7 crisis phone line, access to community resources, transportation, and support for all genders and ages. WAVI recently opened a satellite office on Pine Ridge to assist with overflow from other nearby service providers.
Pine Ridge Satellite office hours:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8am – 4:30 pm for supportive services
Location: Wakpamni Circle across from CAP office
Survivors in Recovery Anonymous (SIRA)
SIRA is a 12 Step recovery program based on the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Peaceful Means hosts 2 weekly Survivors in Recovery meetings in Pine Ridge SD, one each for male and female. At SIRA meetings people come together to share their experience, strength and hope with other survivors. To date Peaceful Means has given away over 1500 SIRA Booklets to community members in all 9 districts of Pine Ridge. The booklets are left in medical offices, CPS, victim services and churches and dozens of accessible local outlets. Booklets are also available at the PM office to all who need them.
SIRA Women’s Group: Wednesday 5:30 – 7pm Joyner Hall, Pine Ridge
SIRA Men’s Group: Thursdays 5:30 – 7pm Joyner Hall, Pine Ridge
No meetings on Holidays
Traditional Healing
Peaceful Means staff recently built an Inipi (sweat lodge) behind the Pine Ridge office and plans to utilize it as yet another form of aftercare for staff and survivors. These practices have been used for millennia by the Lakota people and are vital to Peaceful Means work. The Lakota staff also incorporates traditional ceremonies, medicines, and teachings as a form of grounding and healing.
SSS-I
Supporting Survivors and Self—Indigenized – (Miye na Wicakiya Oyate Wi Okiciyapi Kta) is a Lakota-grounded guide to responding to children’s disclosure of sexual abuse/assault. The Lakota SSS-I courses are available here: https://cehs.unl.edu/IVRL/supporting-survivors-and-self-indigenized/