Over the years, cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women have gone without justice. While advocating has brought on more awareness among the public, they are largely ignored by police and the justice system; the Indigenous women are therefore never found or never receive justice for their deaths. The continued abuse of the justice system against Indigenous women is nothing short of systematic genocide against Indigenous women and girls. Indigenous women are forced to confront violence on a daily basis and rarely see their perpetrators receive justice.
Missing Indigenous women make up 10% of the total population of missing women in Canada, and the homicide rate is 6 times higher than non-Indigenous women. During a 2011 National Household Survey, it was found that Indigenous women only make up 4% of the total population in Canada, making that 10% even more significant.
The number of suspected cases cast aside as harmless despite evidence to indicate foul playis just as significant. A report made by CBC examined 34 cases of missing Indigenous women involving death. Their findings showed evidence of foul play in many of the cases. In every case, the families of the women involved do not believe the police’s findings. Currently, the article features 307 profiles.
It is obvious that this is a Canadian crisis, but how do we advocate for those we have lost and those at risk? A report by MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls) proposes four steps towards providing Indigenous women with their right to culture, their right to health, their right to security, and their right to justice. By supporting initiatives such as MMIWG we can work towards decolonizing Canada and creating a country that is safe for all.