Reps. Moore and Davids lead bipartisan resolution addressing violence against Native women
Violence against women is not a new phenomenon. Women across the globe are subject to different forms of violence daily. In the United States alone, more than 77% of women had experienced verbal sexual harassment while at least 51% had been sexually touched without their permission, a report following the #MeToo movement found. These statistics are even greater for marginalized communities and for women of color, who are more likely to be targeted by violence.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), Native Americans are three times more likely to experience sexual violence than any other ethnic group. As Native American women and girls continue to face this epidemic with little to no resources in sight, members of Congress are coming together in efforts to spread awareness of this crisis. Reps. Gwen Moore and Sharice Davids alongside the support of others are leading a bipartisan resolution that aims to address the unnoticed but fatal violence Indigenous women face.
"Native American women are facing a crisis in this country of epic proportion and we can no long stand by as they face murder rates more than 10 times the national average. American Indian women and Alaska Natives between the ages of 10 and 34 are being murdered at a rate that should not only shock us but, compel Congress to act swiftly on their behalf." Moore said in a statement announcing the resolution.
"That's why this resolution I'm introducing along with Chairman Raul Grijalva and Representatives, Deb Haaland, Sharice Davids, Don Young and Tom Cole is so important. Vulnerable people are under threat and it's time we act swiftly to combat this epidemic of violence," Moore added.
Multiple others have noted the need to address the ongoing crisis for years. According to NCADV, while the federal government recognizes 566 tribes in the country, there are only 26 shelters nationwide for Indigenous people. Cultural advocacy and specific services to these survivors are rare, and without law enforcement in many tribes to which to report crimes, survivors are left isolated and unable to speak up about their abuse.
By empowering women and tribal nations to pursue justice against crimes, the resolution hopes to decrease the gross number of victims and survivors in the Indigenous community. Native communities often lack the resources and means to help survivors and victims' families address the violence they face. Without resources such as shelters for safety, culturally specific counselors and advocates, and education on violence and its impact, Native women are often left with no options after facing violence.
As a result of the ongoing obstacles they face, Native women have experienced some of the highest rates of violence in the United States. According to the National Institute of Justice, more than 1.5 million Indigenous women have experienced some form of violence, including sexual assault, domestic abuse, stalking, or psychological aggression by an intimate partner.
The statistics speak for themselves: Only 13% of sexual assaults reported by Native American women result in arrest, according to The New York Times, compared to 35% for Black women and 32% for white women. Additionally, compared to other demographics, Native teens and women are killed at 10 times higher a rate, data from the Justice Department found.
But that's not all: A 2016 report found that more than 500 Indigenous women and girls have disappeared or killed in 71 urban American cities. The actual number is likely to be higher; a number of cases go unnoticed or reported. According to the National Crime Information Center, in 2016, 5,712 indigenous women and girls were reported missing, but only 116 were logged by the U.S. Department of Justice's federal missing persons database.
As cases related to Indigenous women often go unsolved, the bipartisan bill aims to shed light on the crisis and urges the government to act now. Other bills have previously been introduced that are of a similar nature, including the Not Invisible Act of 2019, which focuses on increasing efforts of accountability and arrest due to the lack of law enforcement involvement in many tribal areas.
"The resounding support from my colleagues from across the country acknowledging our stolen sisters and committing to address the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women is a shift from years past," Congresswoman Deb Haaland said of the resolution. "This resolution acknowledges the failure of the federal government to provide proper resources to address this silent crisis, which is the first step toward finding solutions."
Now is the time to take action. We cannot wait for these numbers to increase further.
"Violence against Native women is an epidemic that deserves our attention and action. Last month the Natural Resources Committee held a historic hearing to find solutions and end the silent crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. We heard the heartbreaking stories that have become all too common, of Native women and girls suffering from attacks, violence and murder. When American Indian and Alaska Native women on tribal land have murder rates ten times the national average something is wrong. We can't continue to let our native sisters, mothers, and daughters suffer. This resolution is part of the broader attention that this issue deserves," Chairman Grijalva said.