National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

[Aerissa_Jade]

May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

In 2017, the U.S. Senate signed a resolution that designated May 5 as the “National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls.” Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, introduced the resolution in response to the disappearance and death of Hanna Harris, a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.

Harris was reported missing in Lame Deer, Mont., by her family on July 5, 2013. Her body was found five days later.

“Hanna Harris was determined to have been raped and murdered, and the individuals accused of committing those crimes were convicted,” the resolution states. “The case of Hanna Harris is an example of many similar cases.”

May 5 was designated the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls because Harris was born on May 5, 1992.

This is a major problem, that is rarely even on the news, even nearby Reservations.

• 4 out of 5
  Native women
  experienced some form of violence in their lifetime.
• Native women face
  murder rates more than
  10x times
  the national average
• Homicide is the third leading cause of death among Native girls & women aged 10 to 24, and the fifth leading cause of death for Native women aged 25 to 34

• Native Americans are victimized by human trafficking at rates higher than that of the general population. Though statistics are few and far between, testimony from experts, activists, and tribal leaders – as well as independent investigations – have revealed a disproportionate impact. In a study conducted at four sites in the U.S. and Canada, “an average of 40 percent of women involved in sex trafficking identified as an AI/AN or First Nations,” yet Native women represent 10 percent or less of the general population in the studied communities.

I am half Native American, grew up near the reservation. There is a saying that "Everyone knows someone who is missing or been murdered." A friend or relative, that is also true in my case. Both someone who was raped and murdered and someone who is missing and suspected of being in human trafficking, sexual slavery, for the Cartel.

A couple of years ago, I came very close to being kidnapped and taken into Human Trafficking. My friend was taken and I was able to get away.

I fled, I left everything behind and never went back.

I have survivors guilt that I was able to get away but she did not. There was nothing that I could do, law enforcement didn't seem to do anything or couldn't.

Somebody's Daughter #MMIW #MMIWP #MMIWG

"Eighty-four percent of Native American women will experience violence in their lifetime. Ninety-four percent of Native American women will be raped or coerced in their lifetime. It's staggering to think about it, to even be able to comprehend those numbers, it's overwhelming.

These shocking numbers reflect a dismal and horrific reality for Native communities. It's a crisis that's explored in depth in "Murdered And Missing In Montana."

How to help with cases of missing murdered

Previews for Murdered & Missing in Montana

Never forget

[CrazyGirl2]

This is terrible, with the murder rate is so high among indigenous women, the question that has to be asked is who is killing them?

[Aerissa_Jade]

That's part of the problem is they aren't investigating to know a lot of the times. It is worse on tribal lands that have major highways going through. Often there is no cell service in these remote area's. Some know that the cartel and MS-13 taking is taking many for human trafficking and if they do not comply, they end up dead.

[CrazyGirl2]

Yes, although I was born in the US, my parents had to live in England for FIVE years while they waited for my father’s immigration to be approved. After that we moved back to the US. So I have very strong feelings about the state of our immigration system that allows MS13 gang members to walk right across the border! Something has to change, no country can stand when the government no longer protects the borders or it’s citizens! However, correct me if I'm wrong… Isn’t law enforcement on tribal lands the sole jurisdiction of the Tribe? Why are the Tribal Police not investigating these terrible crimes? Im asking you as you seem to know WAY more about this than I.

[Aerissa_Jade]

Problems with who has authority, say the person was kidnapped on tribal lands but body found off it. Lots of Jurisdictional issues on who has what rights. In some cases they even know who did the crime but can't arrest them, since they don't live on tribal lands. Has to be arrested by a different agency and prosecuted by a different one than the tribe.

FBI can be called in (but isn't usually) and they can handle it. There is rumors that the Sheriff's department in Big Horn County has been bought by the cartel and won't investigate. Leaving tribal police no recourse to do anything.

The one girl, even recorded police beating her brother and a week later was dead... they said she froze to death on a lawn by a major street and her body had been there for 3 or so days, but a jogger running by found her easy right in plain site.

It is the same reverse too, if a tribal member commits a non-felony crime on non-reservation land, they can return to the reservation and police can't go arrest them. FBI can if it is a felony, but has to be called in.

BIA investigates but doesn't have data linked together. Laws have been passed in the last couple of years to attempt to help.

Many tribes do not even have access to Amber Alerts when a child goes missing, plus cell service is non-existent.

www.somebodysdaughter.com/say-her-name-the-film

Is a 30 min documentary that touches on it.

[CrazyGirl2]

Thank you for the link, but im seriously on my last ounce of energy before I pass out, could you do me a favor, and kindly DM that link to me, I would have to just forget about the bookmark, (which I won’t see unless I actively seek it out, and I’m known to not have the best memory right before I go to bed… Thank you in advance if you can)
Jesus! This honestly seems like a massive systemic issue, both within each respective law enforcement agency, and endemic with inter-jurisdictional communication and cooperation! Im beginning to think the trafficking, rape, and murder of Indigenous women and girls is more a crime of convenience due to known deficiencies, rather than the specific targeting of these women/girls! I weep for the girls raped my MS13! I cannot imagine the brutality they endure, and frankly I dont want to know, it would be too triggering! It honestly makes me re-contextualize my OWN rape, and sorta think “thank god it was JUST my dad’s brother with almost no support, instead of an international crime syndicate, with thousands, if not tens of thousands of gang members poised. To reign down terror on any; one, group, police agency, or even any town who opposes them!
They truly have my deepest sympathy! by the way, you’ve watched the documentary, you are also familiar with my history, do you think would It be too traumatic for me to watch?

[krin_m]

A tough read but something everyone must be aware of. I'll be sharing this info (if you don't mind) with my friends and family.

[TonyMetal___86]

I'm not from U. S. A but it's surprising why native women are more prone to suffer from such accidents than the ones who aren't native?

I know that the violence against women is high worldwide, but the question is why American native women have higher rates of being raped, kidnapped and murdered?

I'm happy because you got away from such a terrible incident!

I see all the women of the world as WOMEN, i don't care about their race or color or even their religion or if they are native or not!

It makes me sad when i hear in the news that a girl vanished and after days or months or even years they find her dead or they might never find her!

People who committs such terrible acts aren't really humans, these are monsters controlled by satan!

Men and women must love each other, take care of each other and support each other!

A man must use his power to protect the girl and make her feel safe while he's around, not to use his power to kidnap her and rape her!

A man who tortures a girl in a gruesome way, than rape her and kill her, surely ain't normal in the head, i wonder how such psychos can even sleep at night after committing such horrible crimes!

What's wrong with native girls? Why they are focused on more than others?

I wish that such things stops and if someone was on the verge to committ a crime to snap out and realize what he's doing and to back off immediatly and change theirs lives forever!

[Oigit]

My mother spent a significant time growing up on a reservation. Because her father worked in a uranium mining operation that was near it. So her father rented space on the reservation along with other miners and their families. That way they could setup the trailers they lived in near the worksite. Due to them living in their trailers while the mine was operational.

Because of that the issue is a big issue for her and I learned a lot about it. The entire thing gets under my skin. Because people can be so quick to want to help, protect or improve a given community. But Native American communities seem to always be left out of the conversation.

[ChrisMaster69]

That was a heavy read.

Also something new, I admit I had not heard about It.

Os it something that is swept under the carpet and not mentioned in polite company?

Good MyTake, thank you, will have a read deeper into it all.

thanks

[Aerissa_Jade]

I don't think it is swept under the carpet, it is people do not know about it. Except those who live on or nearby reservations.

[ChrisMaster69]

@Aerissa_Jade yeah I was just reading the replies below from Americans, it seems it’s not well known or it’s not well reported (by accident or by design).

It is definitely something that should feature higher on the list of things that are actually happening and covered more in depth.

[Slartybartfast]

As of late September 2019, NaMus listed 404 missing Native Americans — 250 males and 154 females.

Meskee Yatsayte, a Navajo citizen who tracks and shares information on the missing and murdered on Facebook, believes these numbers represent the tip of the iceberg.

Volunteer citizens planning a search and rescue operation after a 94-year-old elder went missing, Sept. 17, 2019.
“Everybody is talking about MMIW, and that’s good. But our men and boys are missing and murdered in way higher in numbers,” Yatsayte said. “In the Navajo Nation alone, 57 persons are currently missing. Thirty-seven of them are men.”

[Gutterscream]

And naturally this gets no attention whatsoever.

[t-8900]

the inactions in washington for Indigenous people feels like it's all by design. If you look at the history and the continuity, it's hard to draw any other conclusion then a type of "final solution" type action that goes on in a soft form.

[Aerissa_Jade]

I hope this helps though;

www.whitehouse.gov/.../

[t-8900]

history has proven otherwise in regards to the Feds and your people but here's hoping. i still hold a healthy skepticism on what they'll actually do on their part but i hope it works out.

[Cuminginside]

If the FBI is NOT allowed to investigate these types of crimes on res then its designed allright!

[lightbulb27]

what happened to your friend?

This is beyond pathetic and disgusting this is happening in our country, these people should be cherished by our society. id like to hear the root cause.

[Aerissa_Jade]

long story, tell you in DM if you wanna hear it.

[lightbulb27]

sure, or write a mytake. what is not well known is... what is going on, and what's being done to put an end to it. that sometimes requires push. too often society becomes complacent with "this is how it is"... when "this is how it is"... is not acceptable.

[Avicenna]

This is tragic and unacceptable. It's time to form a federal task force that works with tribal law enforcement to solve these cases and prevent this violence and human trafficking.

[Aerissa_Jade]

It has started, too soon to see results yet but thanks.

www.doi.gov/.../secretary-haaland-creates-new-missing-murdered-unit-pursue-justice-missing-or-murdered-american

Like most things could probably use more funding too.

[lucas262]

Why women and girls?

Why not people?

Do the men have a day?

Is this crime against humanity limited to just women?


Will men ever be seen as victims too?

[Aerissa_Jade]

If you asked that question you don't know what the day is about then.

[lucas262]

I do know women have a MASSIVE support structure they can resort to.

Where as men. Do not.

I think we shouldn't focus in any particular group

I think I myself as a humanitarian. Not a feminist I don't single out 1 group as being more of a victim than any other group I think 1 victim is 1 too many. Male or female

[Aerissa_Jade]

This isn't so much a women's problem as a native women's problem, with ten times the national rate of murder for women. It isn't new either, its decades old... most people don't even know it is a thing. Not just native women but native men too, just they aren't being taken into sexual slavery.

It is also a great deal of teenagers, girls not women with no support structure on the tribes. Even if they have it else ware, not here.

You are thinking of things not on tribal lands, where often law enforcement won't even investigate, or county sheriffs off the land nearby won't take the time to care either. It only makes us a target, cause criminals know that no one cares so drive through a reservation and grab a girl to rape and kill... no one will care.

[lucas262]

I care, you care any good person will care.

The natives I don't feel have ever been a priority they been done dirty for decades

The trafficking isn't limited to the natives but since they have I guess more isolated communities it would make keeping it hush hush easier

[Aerissa_Jade]

Thanks and exactly, that's why it is estimated 40% of the sexual slaves in the US are native women. A very large percentage, but still other races are also in the mix there, thanks to the cartel and MS-13. Many people know that MS-13 is there and looking for victims but too afraid, cause law enforcement won't do anything. Others are just truck drivers going through on a isolated road and finding targets of opportunities.

My own best friend was taken by the cartel, someone I grew up with and forced into sexual slavery.

[lucas262]

That's horrible
I got 8 sisters I worry every day about them,

The open border isn't gonna help things it'll just bring in more criminals and make it easier to build a network

[spartan55]

Wow, those numbers are just staggering. I was aware this was a problem, but not on this scale. Is it just societal indifference driving these numbers? Sickening and sad, hopefully this day of awareness makes a positive change.

[Cuminginside]

We need to go back to the Cowboys system you know where everybody has a weapon on their hip because that's what these monsters understand that's only they understand and that's all they deserve. Start shooting back ladies.

[OddBeMe]

For some reason…missing females of color aren’t as marketable as Gabbie Petito.

[Aerissa_Jade]

That's so true, and many reservations don't even have the Amber alert system.

The one link I posted said this.

"First of all, with the missing persons cases, you know we saw in the Gabby Petito case how much media coverage can really impact a case... but the problem with that is usually the people who determine what stories get covered by the mainstream media or law enforcement has not been interested in covering Native American women's cases — and if they do, they're portrayed in negative ways," she said.

Abigail Echo-Hawk, chief research officer for the Seattle Indian Health Board and an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, made a similar point in an interview with CNN.

"[Indigenous women] are assumed to have been killed, murdered or disappeared. They're assumed to have run away, to have had substance abuse issues, to have done something that caused them to go missing or to be murdered," she told the outlet.

And the data speaks for itself. In Wyoming, only 18 percent of homicide cases involving Indigenous women victims get newspaper coverage — as opposed to 51 percent for white female and male victims, according to a state report. This behavioral pattern, often called Missing White Women Syndrome and coined by the journalist Gwen Ifill, refers to idea that the amount of media coverage and general attention a victim will get is directly related to their racial and ethnic background and other demographics, according to The Great Falls Tribune.

[OddBeMe]

This comes down to poverty I think. At least as a larger points. POC dont have transportation so they’re more likely to hitchhike (a la Highway of Tears). And yeah, the squeaky wheel gets the attention. Poor communities don’t have constant cnn coverage like they shouts.

[OddBeMe]

*should

[nawtee_me]

A tragedy for sure. This needs to be posted on all social media platforms.

[nawtee_me]

This is a second film. when I watch the first I will post a link to it too.
www.somebodysdaughter.com/say-her-name-the-film

[Aerissa_Jade]

Thank you for that.

[RolandCuthbert]

How in the world did this thread get 11 likes?

Thanks for posting this.

[exitseven]

really was not aware of this. Violence is everywhere these days but the most vulnerable always seem t get the worst of it.

[Fuentes]

Excuse you? Its Cinco De Mayo jk but yeah thats fucked up i been to Montana on the rezz when i lived in the NW coast, for abit i didn't know thats all happening im afraid for my child now, hell naaah

[Cuminginside]

Teach your child how to fight back how to use a weapon how use a dog because that's what it's going to take

[Fuentes]

@Cuminginside true she lives up there with her mom i knew their was weird stuff going on up there but not that lol now imma tell her mom something

[Cuminginside]

If she owns the land maybe she should get a gun

[IsoUser]

That is very Sad and I am even embarrassed that we have such a day. ALL GIRLS OF ANY RACE SHOULD BE RESPECTED. An cared for given new Immigration act through Immigration and National Security, Thanks to National Government Interests since you separated complete families. It is now in your best interest to reuinite every family member more than ever.

[Xtendable]

The stats are shocking. An absolute travesty, not just of humanity but society and our justice system as a whole

[Anonymous]

yep, scary stuff. Lots of my favorite babes are Native American, so I've heard a lot of horror stories. 😲

[Rangers]

We have too many holidays, especially ridiculous ones. Make a day for all of the innocent settlers who were raped, murdered and cannibalized by vicious primitive savages that regressives call "indigenous" which is exactly why settlers fought back and won

[Aerissa_Jade]

Spoke like someone who clearly has no idea what this day is about.

[Cuminginside]

Hey bro I understand especially after the movie "hostiles" but this situation it's different unless you think there's a spiritual Revenge Warfare happening right now I don't know but as an investigator and Analysis person I have to look at all points but let's be honest a simple 50 Cent or a dollar a bullet can stop all this shit but you have to write to every single reservation Authority almost half of them do not allow weapons even your state carry permit doesn't always count which is a bunch of bulshit I guess now they're going to have to change that law just because legally reservations are declared different countries physically they are not set up that way so they should be counted as their own County so there could be law enforcement formally applied across no more of this what happens on the res stays on the rez mentality. I remember hearing stories years ago from people who were the settlers in Israel their kids carry weapons on the Farms I always thought that was a bit extreme now I see why.

[Anonymous]

Multiply all those numbers by 3-4 , and you get the rate of male native victims.

Divide the awareness and support system female natives get by 10, you get the support system male natives have.

[Aerissa_Jade]

Thanks for that, I wasn't aware that male native American's were 3 or 4 times more likely to be put into sexual slavery as the women are and the support for women is non existent.

Maybe you should fight and make it aware that many Native American males are forced into sex that they don't want to do.