In June of 2009, several Montana leaders came together to hold the Honoring Native Women by Stopping the Violence Conference. This is a link to a report that was written after the conference, entitled The Empty Shawl: Honoring Native Women By Stopping the Violence Against Them.The report includes specific examples of violence as told by the women who have experienced it. The report also notes that Native American women are much more likely to be victims of domestic and sexual violence than other women, and discusses the relevance of several factors including poverty, homelessness, and foster care. It also describes several efforts to address domestic violence against Native American women in Montana.MLSA provides legal services to domestic violence survivors throughout Montana, including Native women. MLSA is sharing the report on this blog in hopes of raising awareness of the issues it discusses.October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This post and other upcoming posts in MLSA’s Advocacy Blog highlight issues relating to domestic violence in Montana.