Sensitive Content Warning
In 2016, the National Crime Information Center reported a staggering 5,712 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. However, the U.S. Department of Justice's missing person database only reported 116 cases, highlighting a significant discrepancy. It is worth noting that the majority of these cases involve non-Native individuals committing crimes on Native-owned land, and the lack of coordination and jurisdictional issues between state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies often impedes the investigative process.
For Native Americans, this situation exacerbates existing wounds and trauma, adding yet another layer of suffering. Native American women are disproportionately represented in missing and murdered cases, with a murder rate ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations, and murder ranking as the third leading cause of death for Native women, despite comprising only 2% of the total U.S. population. The Urban Indian Health Institute's research revealed that the youngest victim was an infant under the age of one, and the oldest victim was an 83-year-old.
May 5 is the official Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Day and is widely recognized across the U.S. and Canada. To raise awareness of the MMIW cause and fight against the injustices suffered by Native women and their families, various activities such as marches, protests, bike rides, fundraisers, and more take place every year. However, while women and girls are primary victims of violence and human trafficking among Native Americans, they are not the only ones; men, boys, infants, and the elderly are also at risk. Disturbingly, 82% of indigenous men experience violence in their lifetime, while Native children are more likely to face trauma and abuse than their non-Native peers.
When learning about the challenges faced by Native Americans, it is crucial to acknowledge and remember all victims of these crimes. Unfortunately, negative stereotypes about Native Americans often hinder the search process when a Native woman is reported missing, with law enforcement often turning a blind eye, failing to take the report seriously, and providing little assistance. Moreover, if the media does pick up on these stories, they often spin them negatively, further compounding the victim's trauma and making it challenging to bring the perpetrators to justice.
On the top page, there is common symbolism used for the MMIW movement, where the red hand denotes the systemic suppression of indigenous voices and cultural heritage. This symbol was used in my previous spread to convey a similar message. It represents the actions of people in power who attempt to control indigenous communities. Similarly, the red hand over the mouth is now the symbol of the growing MMIW movement, which stands for the missing sisters whose voices have gone unheard and the media and law enforcement's silence during this crisis. In contrast, the white hand represents the lost souls and indigenous women who have been murdered, embodying their spirits living on through their tribes and community.
At the bottom of the page, there is a drawing that vividly portrays the plight of the indigenous women community, who have repeatedly suffered from discrimination. The melting faces depicted in the artwork signify the various stages in an indigenous woman's life, which are marked by persistent fear of experiencing rape, murder, or disappearance. This fear is unfortunately all too real, as indigenous women have disproportionately high rates of these crimes perpetrated against them. The phrase "no more stolen sisters" has become a common rallying cry for the movement, which seeks to raise awareness and demand action to prevent further harm to indigenous women. The phrase is a powerful reminder of the tragedy that has already occurred and the urgent need to prevent it from happening again.
native, hope. “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).” Native Hope, 2022. https://www.nativehope.org/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiw.
NWW, n/a. “MMIW.” Native Women Wilderness, 2022. https://www.nativewomenswilderness.org/mmiw.
UIHI, n/a. “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.” Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Urban Indian Health Institute, 2016. https://www.uihi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Missing-and-Murdered-Indigenous-Women-and-Girls-Report.pdf.