2017 Hill Briefing Addressing Missing and Murdered Native Women
The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center is honored to co-sponsor a Hill briefing to provide an overview of issues addressing missing and murdered Native women and the creation of National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. In addition, Terri Henry, Co-Chair of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women, will introduce a video released by the National Institute of Justice, “Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men.”
A Joint Effort
The 2017 briefing is being offered in cooperation with Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK). “We are so please to be working with Senator Murkowski to bring this important information to members of Congress and national policymakers,” said Lucy Simpson, Executive Director, NIWRC. “Senator Murkowski was also supportive of NIWRC’s 2016 Hill briefing last June.” The Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center and Indian Law Resource Center are cosponsors of the Hill briefing. “While the issues of violence against American Indian women are difficult and challenging, this briefing shares how we are moving ahead to increase awareness on a national level,” said Simpson. “It is a new year with new beginnings we hope will increase safety in the everyday lives of Native women.”
2017—Urgency of Public Awareness
“Increasing public awareness of this issue we hope will save lives and help prepare tribal communities to act when a Native woman goes missing,” said Simpson. According to a U.S. Department of Justice study, in some tribal communities, American Indian women face murder rates that are more than 10 times the national average. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, homicide was the third leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native women between 10 and 24 years of age and the fifth leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women between 25 and 34 years of age. “The Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains is creating a display of miniature buckskin dresses, each representing a Native woman who is missing and murdered from a five state area,” said Carmen O’Leary, Director, Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains.
2017—A New Year with New Awareness
This briefing will provide an update on new developments to increase awareness of missing and murdered Native women and girls. Senator Steve Daines (MT) will speak about efforts by the Montana delegation to increase awareness on a national level. Last year, the Montana delegation introduced a resolution to designate May 5, 2016, as a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. The resolution was drafted in memory of Hanna Harris, a Northern Cheyenne tribal member, who was murdered in July 2013. The resolution was introduced in April 2016 on the same day that RoyLynn Rides Horse, a Crow tribal member, passed away after having been beaten, burned, and left in a field to die. An administrative rule requires that such a resolution be passed within the same year and prior to the designated day. The resolution will be reintroduced this year with nearly 200 organizations signing on in support.
The National Institute of Justice “Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men” video: https://www.nij.gov/multimedia/Pages/video-violence-against-american-indian-and-alaska-native-women-and-men.aspx
