ONE FIRE EMERGENCY HELPLINE

help allowed me to stay in school which opened the door for other opportunities within the tribe. I am stable again. I love it and I am grateful every day for the shelter and their staff.”

More than 80% of Native American women and men have been victims of violence, according to the U.S Department of Justice. National statistics show it typically takes seven times for a victim to leave an abusive situation or perpetrator for good.

Debra Proctor, senior director of ONE FIRE, said there are a number of reasons someone might reach out to the tribe’s victim services program: domestic violence, family violence, stalking, dating violence or sexual assault.

ONE FIRE assists by creating a plan focused on the needs of each individual, whether they need housing assistance; everyday necessities like hygiene products, clothing or food; legal assistance; or an advocate in court.

In December 2022, the Cherokee Nation also opened a new domestic violence shelter and three transitional houses in Stilwell, Okla. The shelter provides a safe space along with resources and services to help families and children who are suffering at the hands of abuse.

In 2022, ONE FIRE helped more than 800 individuals seeking assistance, nearly twice as many as those who sought help in 2021. When the new shelter opened in Stilwell, it quickly filled with clients needing a hand in escaping an abusive situation.

“Be as safe as you can, be very gentle with yourself, and educate yourself as much as you possibly can,” said Rodriquez, who now advocates for women experiencing situations similar to her own. “You don’t have to have the answers, you don’t have to know how you will be fed, you don’t have to know how you’ll pay rent –you just have to trust in the process. The staff at ONE FIRE will anticipate your needs and next steps then stand by you through it all.”

Cockrum now works for Cherokee Nation and knows it’s important that help is there when victims of abuse need it.

“Find the positivity out there and find someone who can lead you in the right direction,” Cockrum said. “If you really want help and a way out, it is out there. For me, the way out was ONE FIRE.”

In April of 2023, the Cherokee Nation hosted the Families are Sacred Summit in Tulsa. The threeday event provided comprehensive training for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, court staff members, emergency medical service workers, health care providers, advocates and other Cherokee Nation employees involved in addressing domestic violence issues in Oklahoma. Scan here to learn about the grand opening of the tribe’s new domestic violence shelter

ONE FIRE helps all victims of violence who seek assistance, regardless of tribal citizenship.

“Reach out and try to trust a good domestic violence shelter such as ONE FIRE. We will empower you and help you find a new pathway in life that no longer includes violence,” Proctor said.