WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — According to a 2016 report by the Navajo Epidemiology Center, domestic violence and physical abuse was the second leading cause of injuries on the Navajo Nation.
In response to this public health crisis, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren has signed contracts to ensure vital shelter services for families impacted by domestic violence. The contracts will keep shelters open through 2025.
These contracts are not new to us. I signed similar agreements earlier in 2024 so that essential services like shelters remain open without interruption,” Nygren said. “There was no hesitation to extend these contracts. Keeping shelters open are critical for the safety and well-being of our people.”
Yolanda Azua, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Liaison within the Office of the President, said seven major shelters in and around the Navajo Nation serve the Navajo people.
“All seven shelters are at full capacity,” Azua said, noting that most DV cases go unreported.
“We use ‘Preserving Navajo Families’ as our foundation to promote community healing,” Thomas Cody, director for the Navajo Division of Children and Family Services, said.“The domestic violence funds we get are used to assist families in need of services from domestic violence.”
