Trigger Warning: contains material about sexual assault

INTRODUCTION

Our ancestors taught us to love, honor, respect, and protect our Native women and children, and that they are sacred. Our elders taught us, “What we do today is not for us, but for our children, and our children’s children.”

Please be sure to read the document below titled 'RAPE CULTURE in Native Communities'. In doing this work it became apparent that many people do not fully understand how widespread sexual assault is, the negative impact on survivors, and the reasons why most survivors don't report their assault to the police. It would be helpful if you learned what to say and do to support survivors, and what not to say that often is triggering and/or re-victimizes the survivor.

We, at Idle No More Washington and Chi-Nations Youth Council, are writing this letter to share our concerns about Che Sehyun (Korean American). This Community Letter is intended to keep our communities safe. We are encouraging accountability and repair. We do not condone threats of harm or violence in any form. Let this be a space for togetherness and healing. 

CONTEXT

In 2019, eleven people came forward with concerns about Che being in the yəhaw̓ show at King Street Station. It is our understanding that they reported that  Che had been toxic, committed gender-based discrimination and had harassed some of them, was sexually inappropriate and made unwelcome sexual advances that made some feel uncomfortable, pressured, or fearful. Yəhaw̓ was notified of these reports, and the curators took down his artwork from their show. Since 2019 and being removed from the yəhaw̓ show at least one more individual disclosed that she was sexually assaulted by him.

The authors of this letter also believe those survivors because in 2015, while Sweetwater and Che were staying with a mutual friend, Che went into Sweetwater’s bedroom while she was in bed and got on top of her without her consent. Sweetwater was filled with fear and physically resisted his advances until he stopped.

HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?

Through Che’s work as a photographer, videographer, and musician, he has access to youth, young women, and non-binary people. While Che is Korean American, he makes special effort to work within our Native community, going on the annual Canoe Journey and tabling at hosting tribe(s) events, attending Native events in Seattle and nearby tribal events, and being present in our Native community.

PRACTICES TO BE AWARE OF

Four out of five victims of sexual assault knew their attacker. Grooming is the deliberate actions and calculated behavior that sexual predators use to gain access to someone they want to sexually abuse. Many times, sexual predators know and have some sort of relationship with their victims. They also groom the victims’ parents, family members, and community members to establish a sense of trust in those adults, create opportunities to access their target, and decrease the chances of being caught. History is replete with trusted, powerful individuals in the community who use their power to harm others.

Predators may develop and carry out plans to gain a family’s trust by providing a valuable service to adults in the community. Predators are often charming, friendly, and active in the community, they may strategically align themselves with leaders. They may align themselves with older Native or BIPOC women, and leaders of all genders, to give themselves credibility and acceptance in the community they are targeting. 

A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR?

We care about our community and our people. We do not want to see anyone harmed. We have heard concerning reports about Che’s behavior. In addition to the reports above, we have heard that he may have claimed intellectual property rights that don’t belong to him; that he may have lacked financial transparency on projects; that he may have gone behind the back of a board’s executive director to obtain payment for work that he didn’t complete. We have heard reports that he was fired from the Multimedia Resource and Training Institute, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, and Millennials Northwest; and that the Chinatown International District Coalition has banned him from leadership positions and community events.

What we found most troubling is that Che may particularly shower attention on youth, some of whom he has contact with in the role of a mentor and teacher. These are positions of power and trust. We have heard allegations from at least two survivors that they felt groomed by Che as minors, and then when each was over eighteen, he began to make unwanted sexual advances, causing the persons to feel intimidated, harassed, and fearful. We are asking our Native community and non-Native allies to denounce all behavior of this kind. We wish to come together in a good way, and we ask for your support. 

INTERVENTION

Idle No More Washington has developed an intervention called ‘Beyond Colonial Interventions’ © 2021 by Sweetwater Nannauck, that Native American sexual assault survivors can use to expose harm in their communities, based on Native American culture and traditions by utilizing shunning, banishing, and community support. 

The first step is ‘Turning Our Backs’ (shunning) where we will let Native community members know about the reports of harm and ask the greater community to join us in 'Turning Our Backs' against the person who has caused harm. This would include no longer associating or working with that person; removing yourselves from his life whether in person and/or on social media and remaining silent should he contact you for support. 

The next step for this intervention is for Sweetwater to invite Che to attend the 'Beyond Colonial Interventions.' For her safety and other witnesses present, it would be via video conference. The intervention would be about the harm he has caused, give him a chance to apologize, and begin a journey toward healing with recommendations from her about steps he can take to ensure that he is not a source of harm.

The rest of the steps for this 'Beyond Colonial Interventions' are for the Native sexual assault survivor’s journey toward healing to be done in the survivors’ community and includes the tribes’ cultural practices and ceremonies, a traditional healing component, a support group of survivors healing together, support from the Native youth, guidance from elders, and a victim services specialist.

It's important to note that the first step, shunning, is part of the intervention done as an entire process. We are not recommending survivors do it alone or without proper support and a victim services specialist. Sweetwater will be working with a local Washington tribe to help them develop their own framework and intervention based on their own culture, traditions, and values, and help Native sexual assault survivors through their healing process.

TURNING OUR BACKS: A CALL TO ACTION

We ask you to stand with us and join us in ‘Turning Our Back’ (shunning) on Che. So many have come forward to report being harmed by him. We feel that it’s important for him to understand how he is impacting our women, non-binary folk, and children.

Please sign below if you wish to protect our women, and non-binary folks, and let our children know we love and cherish them, and we are here to listen and support them. 

We also highly recommend to Native organizations, tribes, and non-Native allies to adopt and implement a Code of Conduct. See a sample code by yəhaw̓ at https://yehawshow.com/about 

IMPORTANT UPDATES

Click on this link to see updates >>>--------->  UPDATE for Community Letter .pdf

See our Rape Culture in Native Communities for more information

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xOGkRoc8vvB5ef3TGKdKSgNFW97_ZYsZ/view 

• Che’s cease and desist letter and his attempt at silencing a survivor is successfully thwarted by Sweetwater’s attorney.

• Che lies about the spelling of his last name to avoid accountability.

• Sweetwater obtains a 10-year SAPO (Sexual Assault Protection Order) against Che.

• Per the SAPO, Che must refrain from attending several Native American events at 9 Native organizations and 14 annual Native American events in Seattle and Washington.

• “Is He a Perpetrator?” Checklist

• Letter of support from Native women for Che

• Excerpts from our Rape Culture in Native Communities document 

• Sweetwater’s Healing Journey

• Institutional Betrayal and how your organization can have Institutional Courage

• Schools and organizations can be held liable if they know about the sexual harassment, sexual assault, or abuse and fail to protect the victim(s).

What can you do to help stop rape culture and support survivors?

• Believe survivors and support them

• Educate yourself about rape culture

• Cherish the Truthteller, those who come forward and disclose about SA

• Sign and share this Community Letter

• Teach our youth how to recognize perpetrators grooming tactics, and about SA

• Don’t protect perpetrators

• Don’t align with or support perpetrator protectors, this only perpetuates rape culture.

• Make sure the organizations you work for or are involved with are committed to Institutional Courage and are protecting their members and supporting survivors.

Please note that we will not publish the names of folks who sign this Community Letter. The only data we publish is how many people have signed on - Natives and non-Native allies. 

A great resource that is always available and quick to answer is StrongHearts Native Helpline 1-844-762-8483, which is a 24/7 safe, confidential, and anonymous domestic, dating, and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, offering culturally appropriate support and advocacy.

So far, 26 Natives and 129 Non-native Allies have signed on.

Gunal’cheesh (Thank you, I couldn’t have done it without you)