By Hannah Toth
As November comes to a close, so does the month of people actively spreading the news about Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, or #MMIW. #MMIW is a movement dedicated to spreading the word about Native American women and girls around the world who are experiencing an increasingly high percentage of violence. MMIWUSA aims to protect and aid families that are impacted by this systemic violence done to Native people. This violence is taking place on and off the reservations, and it deserves to be acknowledged.
A symbol for the movement is a red handprint over the mouth, as pictured above. The hand is meant to symbolize the missing and murdered women whose voices are not heard or even acknowledged. That symbol, along with the hashtag #NoMoreStolenSister, are two popular messages promoting the movement. They are calling out the oppressive attitudes toward Native Women and people.
Why We Must Talk About MMIW
Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women experience such a large portion of violence and yet receive the least amount of coverage for these crimes. Indigenous women are targeted because of the racial stereotypes that are presented in our society, as well as the biased media. Native communities continue to be disempowered, and this directly causes native women and girls to become a target as dynamics within their communities shift. On top of that, there has been a lot of abandonment from government and police authorities in regard to protecting the NA communities. It was revealed by the Urban Indian Health Institute that there were 506 cases of missing or murdered indigenous women in nearly 70 cities. More than 150 cases were not listed in law enforcement databases.
Not only do indigenous women have to worry about this violence against their community, but they also have to worry about the lack of action from law enforcement and little to no media coverage. That’s why discussing these women and their stories is so important, no matter how many people you’re able to share them with. Voices are powerful, and the more people know about MMIW and the work they’re trying to accomplish, the more people will get involved and help with their efforts.
Statistics
Almost every Native American woman is guaranteed to experience some form of violence in her lifetime. Statistics say that for every 5 Native American women, 4 have experienced violence. The murder rate for NA women has risen to ten times the national average. MMIW has reached such a level of concern that murder is the 3rd leading cause of death amongst Native women. The youngest known victim was less than a year old, and the mean age of victims was around 28 years old. It was recorded that nearly 90% of MMIW cases are not reported by national or international news outlets. Many of these statistics can be shocking, but they’re necessary to hear to bring attention to what is happening.
What Can You Do?
No amount of help is “too little.” Where MMIW is concerned, spreading the word about the tragedies occurring is one of the most powerful ways to help. The media is often extremely silent when it comes to crimes against indigenous women, and social media is one of the most powerful tools to influence and educate others. Something as simple as a post with the hashtag is enough to spread the word and continue to remind people that this is still going on.
Research the victims and currently missing indigenous women and share their stories. Educate yourself on the signs of sex trafficking or endangered women. Sex traffickers often target girls as young as 12 years old. There is no discrimination of age, only the desire to harm Indigenous Women. Here are some tips to help spot signs of sex trafficking: paranoid/anxious, depressed, malnourished, doesn’t speak/make eye contact, bruises, cuts, etc. It’s not always safe to approach someone in this situation. If you can, ask if they’re okay and can leave, but most importantly, if you see something, say something.
There are many rallies and organizations that will accept your help gratefully! There is no shortage of opportunities to volunteer. Native Hope is an example of an organization whose goal is to bring awareness to the injustices occurring in Native communities. They also have a donation fund that is used to help break barriers, educate others, restore Native communities, and provide healing to those who have been affected by the widespread violence against Indigenous women.
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center is another very useful website that provides events you can attend, resources to further educate yourself, organizations you can donate to, and more.
Beyond what you can do alone, there are also two remembrance days that you can help promote. February 14th is MMIW National Day of Action and Awareness. May 5th is the official day of MMIW recognition, where people wear red and attend rallies, fundraisers, events, etc. These days are extremely important to raising awareness, which is why the promotion of these activities and events is very important. The use of hashtags (#MMIW and #NoMoreStolenSisters) is a great way to promote any events you may attend or actions you may take.
The more we promote and speak about MMIW, the less the media and law enforcement can ignore it. These cases should not and can not be brushed under the rug. It is time to listen to the voices that have been silenced for so long because they’re in real danger. No person’s life should be deemed as “less important” because of their religion, race, gender, or any other reason. We are all equal and deserve to be treated as such, in life and in death.
Women's Center 