Expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls" to remember victims, support their families, and promote continued action to address this crisis.
Dan Newhouse
Representative
WA-4
This resolution expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls" to raise awareness of the crisis, remember victims, and support their families. It acknowledges the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls and the need for continued action and updated research on this issue. The resolution also recognizes past and present efforts to address the crisis, including Operation Lady Justice, the Savannas Act, the Not Invisible Act, and the establishment of dedicated units and commissions.
Resolution Proposes May 5, 2025, as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Calls for New DOJ Study
This resolution formally expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls." It’s not creating a new law with funding attached, but it's a strong statement aiming to shine a brighter spotlight on a crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities for far too long. The core purpose is to officially acknowledge and bring widespread attention to the alarming rates of violence, disappearances, and murders affecting Indigenous women and girls across the nation.
The Sobering Reality: Why This Day Matters
The resolution doesn't pull any punches when laying out the scale of the problem. It references a 2016 Department of Justice study showing that over four out of five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime. It also points to 2017 CDC data indicating homicide as the sixth-leading cause of death for Indigenous women and girls under 44, with murder rates a staggering ten times the national average. The document notes that in 2024, 5,614 Indigenous women and girls were reported missing, with 4,179 of those victims being under 18. By the end of 2024, 628 active missing person records remained. These aren't just numbers; they represent individuals, families, and communities torn apart. The resolution also highlights specific regional issues, such as a 2020 study in Hawaii where 64% of human trafficking victims identified as at least part Native Hawaiian.
Building on Efforts, Recognizing Gaps
This call for a day of awareness isn't happening in a vacuum. The resolution acknowledges a series of federal actions aimed at tackling this crisis, including Executive Order 13898 (Operation Lady Justice) from 2019, the Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act of 2020, the Department of Interior's Missing and Murdered Unit established in 2021, and the Not Invisible Act Commission, which submitted recommendations in 2023. However, it also plainly states that current funding is inadequate to truly meet the needs of victims and support Tribal governments in their efforts. This day of awareness serves as a public reminder of the ongoing work and the resources still required.
A Call to Remember and Act
Beyond just marking a date on the calendar, the resolution urges the public to remember all victims, whether their cases are officially documented or not, and to actively support their families. It also makes a concrete recommendation: for the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice to conduct a new study on this issue, effectively updating the critical statistics from their 2016 report. This signals a push for fresh data to better understand the current scope of the MMIWG crisis and guide future actions. The ultimate message is a call for continued, focused effort to address this profound tragedy.