Sovereign Bodies Institute (SBI) builds on Indigenous traditions to research and address gender and sexual violence against Indigenous people, focusing on healing and self-determination. SBI integrates research into a broader system of care, using stories and data from survivors and families to create effective, culturally relevant systems of support. SBI also provides mutual aid to families of missing and murdered Indigenous people, seeing this as part of their research philosophy. Emphasizing sovereignty of self, tribal nations, and data, SBI transforms lived experiences into action for healing and empowerment.
SBI is dedicated to upholding the sovereignty of Indigenous bodies, nations, lands, and waters, and refuses grants from colonial governments or extractive industries. Their work transcends colonial borders, identity politics, and conventional concepts of gender, honoring Indigenous knowledge and lifeways. SBI’s research is accountable to the land, ancestors, and community.
Fiscally sponsored by the Sacred Defense Fund, SBI works toward healing and freedom for Indigenous communities affected by violence.