The issue of missing Native women in the United States and Canada has become a devastating epidemic, yet it often remains unaddressed. As Lauren Madison, a co-founder of Save Wiyabi Map, poignantly states, “Indigenous women go missing twice: once in real life and a second time in the news.” This highlights the urgent need for society to confront and discuss this crisis openly.
In April 2015, a profound incident occurred when Sarah Little, a Native woman from Minnesota, was abducted and taken to Williston, North Dakota. Fortunately, she escaped and reported her ordeal to the police. However, instead of receiving help, authorities checked her past and detained her for an unpaid traffic ticket from 2011. This shocking treatment is not an isolated incident; between May 2015 and January 2016, three Native women were murdered, and two others went missing in northern Minnesota alone.
According to the CDC, Native American and Black women suffer the highest murder rates in the U.S. Homicide is the third leading cause of death among Native women aged 10-24. However, these statistics fail to capture the full extent of the crisis, as many cases of missing Native women go unsolved. Families often find that their reports of loved ones missing yield little response from tribal or local law enforcement. The presumption is frequently that missing Native women are unlikely to be found alive.
A major factor contributing to this issue is the absence of a centralized database to track cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women. This technological gap is not due to the novelty of the problem; violence against Native women has deep historical roots, from colonial invasions to contemporary domestic violence. With a murder rate ten times the national average, the situation appears dire.
The complicated narrative of violence against Native women is exacerbated by mistrust and poor communication between local law enforcement, tribal authorities, and federal agencies. Native Americans experience a higher likelihood of being killed by police compared to other minority groups, and Native women often face assumptions of guilt rather than being viewed as victims.
A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office revealed significant gaps in data collection regarding human trafficking in Indian Country. Although federal agencies may gather information, they often do not specify if victims are Native American, claiming this detail is irrelevant to their investigations. Additionally, tribal leaders indicate that many Native victims are hesitant to engage with law enforcement due to a history of mistrust and the prevalence of substance abuse linked to domestic violence.
Carmen O’Leary, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and coordinator for the Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains, emphasizes that Native women are often not seen as deserving victims. “We first have to prove our innocence, that we weren’t drunk or out partying,” she says. Her organization strives to provide vital services to protect women in their communities.
Awareness of the risks faced by Native women and children has been alarmingly low. Organizations like the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women are actively working to shed light on these issues, particularly through the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement (MMIW). Recently, a college student named Mia Running Horse participated in an 80-mile Save our Sisters walk through the Flathead Indian Reservation to raise awareness. While she faced hostility from some onlookers, she also encountered many who wanted to support her cause.
There are several actionable ways to contribute to this movement. Engaging with local legislators to advocate for Savannah’s Act—a bill designed to standardize law enforcement protocols and assist tribes—can make a significant impact. This legislation would also facilitate tracking of missing and murdered Native Americans. Furthermore, supporting initiatives like the Red Ribbon Alert Project can help disseminate alerts when a Native woman goes missing.
Financial contributions to organizations focused on ending violence against Indigenous women, such as the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, are also crucial. Most importantly, discussions surrounding these issues must continue. Raising awareness about the plight of missing and murdered Native women is essential to ensuring they are not forgotten.
These women may not appear in conventional statistics, but they deserve our attention and action. It’s time to address this crisis head-on.
For more information about related topics, you can explore resources available at Science Daily, which provides excellent insights into health and medicine.