Where #MeToo meets #MMIW

The national conversation should include murdered and missing Indigenous women.

 

Indian Country News is a weekly note from High Country News, as we continue to broaden our coverage of tribal affairs across the West.

Among the surging crowds of this year’s Women’s March last weekend, Indigenous women banded together by identifying themselves with regalia or red scarves. As they joined hundreds of thousands of women across the nation in protest of the broader misogyny represented by President Donald Trump and other national leaders, these Indigenous women were also protesting deeper injustices in Indian Country, especially thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

This year’s Women’s March followed a wave of allegations of sexual misconduct by powerful men helped by the #MeToo movement, a social media-driven show of solidarity between people affected by sexual harassment and assault. And while the cultural shift in how we discuss sexually predatory men has changed for the better (and was long overdue), women of color have said they feel the movement is often not inclusive or representative of their experiences. For Native communities this means calling even more attention to the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women, or #MMIW. The exact number of women is unknown, and a lack of widespread attention to the issue remains, further illustrating Indigenous marginalization.

A member of the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women’s contingent leads the Seattle Women’s March 2.0 in Seattle this January.

“If this was a white woman’s issue, if there were white women murdered and missing on this level, this would be a national issue. Something would be done about it,” Eve Reyes-Aguirre, a Izkaloteka Mexica woman running for Senate in Arizona, told me recently. She was one of the many Indigenous women who marched in Arizona last weekend, and bringing her peoples’ issues to the forefront was a catalyst for her campaign.

The fetishization of Indigenous women is embedded in our country’s DNA. The plundering of their bodies was part of this nation’s birth. It is one of many legacies that endures to this day. As we discussed in this analysis, the sexualization of Native women comes at a high price. Today, more than 80 percent of Native women experience violence in their lifetime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. More than one in three Native women are raped in their lifetime, more than twice the national average.

The problem pervades Canada, as well as Mexico, where being an advocate can get you murdered. “This is not just an issue here,” Reyes-Aguirre said. “This is a global issue among Indigenous women.”

Reyes-Aguirre also noted the problem persists for Native men. The rates of violent victimization for both males and females are higher for Native Americans than for all races, according to the federal government. Native men are the most likely to be killed by police. One third of Native Americans reported recently they avoid calling authorities altogether, even when they need help. This sexualization and violence culminates in missing and murdered Indigenous women. Thankfully, there are organizations being formed to specifically address the issue, even as generations of institutionalized violence goes unaddressed by our elected leaders.

Just as the #MeToo movement is demanding we hold those in positions of power accountable, the #MMIW movement demands accountability from the authorities tasked with keeping Native communities safe. Combining these issues — in public discussions, mass protests, or deeper reform efforts — won’t dilute any message that demands more respect and acknowledgment of our nation’s least visible and most vulnerable.

Graham Lee Brewer is a contributing editor at High Country News and a member of the Cherokee Nation.

High Country News Classifieds
  • INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS EDITOR - HIGH COUNTRY NEWS
    High Country News is hiring an Indigenous Affairs Editor to help guide the magazine's journalism and produce stories that are important to Indigenous communities and...
  • STAFF ATTORNEY
    Staff Attorney The role of the Staff Attorney is to bring litigation on behalf of Western Watersheds Project, and at times our allies, in the...
  • ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
    Northern Michigan University seeks an outstanding leader to serve as its next Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. With new NMU President Dr. Brock...
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    The Clark Fork Coalition seeks an exceptional leader to serve as its Executive Director. This position provides strategic vision and operational management while leading a...
  • GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT MANAGER
    Help uphold a groundbreaking legal agreement between a powerful mining corporation and the local communities impacted by the platinum and palladium mine in their backyard....
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    The Feather River Land Trust (FRLT) is seeking a strategic and dynamic leader to advance our mission to "conserve the lands and waters of the...
  • COLORADO DIRECTOR
    COLORADO DIRECTOR Western Watersheds Project seeks a Colorado Director to continue and expand WWP's campaign to protect and restore public lands and wildlife in Colorado,...
  • DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY: WYOMING, MONTANA AND UTAH
    Digital Media Specialist - WY, MT, UT OFFICE LOCATION Remote and hybrid options available. Preferred locations are MT, WY or UT, but applicants from anywhere...
  • GRANT WRITER (PART-TIME, FREELANCE CONTRACT) HIGH COUNTRY NEWS
    High Country News seeks an energetic, articulate and highly organized grant writer to support a growing foundations program. This position works closely with our Executive...
  • EXPERT COMPUTER & TECH HELP, PROVIDED REMOTELY
    From California, I provide expert tech help remotely to rural and urban clients. I charge only when I succeed. Available 7 days. Call for a...
  • ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY - INDIGENOUS HISTORIES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN WEST
    Whitman College seeks applicants for a tenure-track position in Indigenous Histories of the North American West, beginning August 2024, at the rank of Assistant Professor....
  • DAVE AND ME
    Dave and Me, by international racontuer and children's books author Rusty Austin, is a funny, profane and intense collection of short stories, essays, and poems...
  • CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
    Rural Community Assistance Corporation is looking to hire a CFO. For more more information visit: https://www.rcac.org/careers/
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    The Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation (ABWF) seeks a new Executive Director. Founded in 2008, the ABWF is a respected nonprofit whose mission is to support...
  • CANYONLANDS FIELD INSTITUTE
    Field seminars for adults in natural and human history of the northern Colorado Plateau, with lodge and base camp options. Small groups, guest experts.
  • COMING TO TUCSON?
    Popular vacation house, everything furnished. Two bedroom, one bath, large enclosed yards. Dog-friendly. Contact Lee at [email protected] or 520-791-9246.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSTRUCTION GEOPHYSICS
    We characterize contaminated sites, identify buried drums, tanks, debris and also locate groundwater.
  • LUNATEC HYDRATION SPRAY BOTTLE
    A must for campers and outdoor enthusiasts. Cools, cleans and hydrates with mist, stream and shower patterns. Hundreds of uses.
  • LUNATEC ODOR-FREE DISHCLOTHS
    are a must try. They stay odor-free, dry fast, are durable and don't require machine washing. Try today.
  • WESTERN NATIVE SEED
    Native plant seeds for the Western US. Trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers and regional mixes. Call or email for free price list. 719-942-3935. [email protected] or visit...