Documentary Analysis: Kind Hearted Woman

The documentary Kind Hearted Woman is an excellent documentary that showcases the hardships that many Native Americans encounter on a daily basis. It is a documentary that emphasizes the many issues surrounding Native American lives. Alcoholism and sexual abuse are just two of the topics that are addressed in this documentary, thus it is evident that these two problems are significant on reservations. Robin has faced both of these issues in her life, and she truly gives us viewer hope that she and her family will surpass the hardships that face them. It is also evident that Native Americans are continually oppresses in our society, thus something must be done to prevent sexual abuse and alcoholism on reservations. Alcoholism is a significant

In Kind Hearted Woman, Robin talks about being sexually abused by numerous men in her life. Most of the men that abused her were men that she called father. I believe that sexually abused individuals are at a higher risk of alcoholism because it helps these individuals “numb” their pain. In a recent article it was noted, “Childhood trauma (abuse and/or neglect) was significantly more prevalent among the men and women who were now seeking help for a drinking problem.” (Nowinski). It was also noted that the severity of the childhood trauma correlated to the severity of the adults drinking problem (Nowinski). This contributes to the idea that children who are sexually abused are more likely to consume alcohol, thus it was evident with Robin this was true. Robin was sexually abused throughout her childhood, so this suggests that the sexual abuse she endured as a child was the root of the problem. Since alcoholism is such a significant problem in the Native American culture, it is important that we also look into what is likely a contribution to alcoholism: sexual abuse. In Kind Hearted Woman sexual abuse was a significant problem within the Native America reservations, and it seems prevalent that many Native American women face being sexually abused in their lifetime. According to The United States

In Kind Hearted Woman, Robin talked about how she went to a women’s shelter for battered women. There are several shelters that help women who are abused. For instance, Minnesota has an excellent program called the Anne Marie’s alliance. This is an excellent non-profit organization that helps women who have been battered. They offer a safe place for women and their children. Anne Marie’s alliance has helped over 14,000 battered women and their children. I was lucky enough to watch a presentation on this lovely organization, and they truly give me hope that there are many good people out there. The fact that 14,000 people have been helped though this alliance, shows that women are truly taken advantage of in our society. There are several programs that help battered women in our society, thus it is crucial that something is done to prevent these types of incidents from reoccurring. Robin is lucky that she was able to go to a shelter and seek the support she deserved. Like sexual abuse, there are several programs out there that help with alcoholism. In fact, many shelters will help one get the right resources they need to become sober. Minnesota has many rehabilitation centers that one can go to, if they