Senators unanimously passed resolution designating May 5th as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls
U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester this week successfully passed their resolution marking May 5th as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls.
The Senators’ resolution raises awareness, honors the Native American women who are missing or murdered, and identifies solutions to end this violent epidemic.
“It is essential to keep the memory of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls like Hanna Harris at the forefront of our discussions as we confront this tragic crisis,” said Daines. “She would have turned 32 this week, but her family, like countless others, will be honoring her memory and another milestone without their loved one. I will keep fighting to raise awareness and end this crisis for our Montana tribal communities.
“Native American women and girls deserve to feel safe in their communities – and raising awareness of the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) is a critically important piece of the fight,” said Tester. “We’ve got to keep pushing for solutions to combat violence against Indigenous women and girls, like my public safety measures that bolster law enforcement in Indian Country and hold violent offenders accountable. I’ll keep fighting to ensure survivors have the tools and services they need to get back on their feet, and law enforcement officers have what they need to address this epidemic once and for all.”
“The Fort Belknap Indian Community strongly supports action to protect Native Women and Girls,”said President Stiffarm, Fort Belknap Indian Community. “Indian tribes must have the authority and resources needed to protect Native Women and Girls. Designating a ‘National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls’ helps us raise awareness and increases the calls for action by Congress and the Administration. We thank Senator Tester and Senator Daines for their continued support. As our life-givers, we must never lose sight of the sacred and vital role that Native Woman and Girls have in giving, protecting, and preserving our families, culture, and way of life.”
“Native American women and girls deserve to feel safe in their communities – and raising awareness of the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) is a critically important piece of the fight,” said Tester. “We’ve got to keep pushing for solutions to combat violence against Indigenous women and girls, like my public safety measures that bolster law enforcement in Indian Country and hold violent offenders accountable. I’ll keep fighting to ensure survivors have the tools and services they need to get back on their feet, and law enforcement officers have what they need to address this epidemic once and for all.”
“The Coalition of Large Tribes thanks Senator Daines for his enduring leadership in shining light on the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. On large land base reservations like the Blackfeet Reservation, we face chronic public safety underfunding (90%!), dangerous jurisdictional prohibitions and rampant criminal activity directed toward us by non-Indians. That terrible perfect storm puts our relatives at constant risk, especially Native women, who face the highest rates of sexual violence in the country. The increasing awareness created by this annual Resolution is slowly helping us educate others about how dire the public safety situation on our reservations really is.” Hon. Marvin Weatherwax, Jr.
Chairman, Coalition of Large Tribes; Member, Blackfeet Tribal Business Council
Statement from the Chairman of the Crow Tribe in Support of May 5 as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls:
“As Chairman of the Crow Tribe, I stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities across the United States in support of designating May 5 as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. This day serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis of violence and disappearance faced by Indigenous women and girls in our country.
For too long, Indigenous women and girls have been disproportionately affected by violence, with many cases going unresolved or unreported. The epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is a tragedy that has plagued our communities for far too long, and it is essential that we bring attention to this issue and demand justice for those who have been lost.
By designating May 5 as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, we honor the memory of those who have been taken from us and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of Indigenous women and girls in our communities. It is crucial that we come together as a nation to raise awareness, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
On this day and every day, let us remember and honor the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and work towards creating a future where all Indigenous women and girls can live free from violence and fear. Together, we can bring about change and justice for our sisters, daughters, mothers, and grandmothers.” Chairman Frank White Clay, Crow Tribe
“The Fort Belknap Indian Community strongly supports action to protect Native Women and Girls. Indian tribes must have the authority and resources needed to protect Native Women and Girls. Designating a ‘National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls’ helps us raise awareness and increases the calls for action by Congress and the Administration. We thank Senator Tester and Senator Daines for their continued support. As our life-givers, we must never lose sight of the sacred and vital role that Native Woman and Girls have in giving, protecting, and preserving our families, culture, and way of life.” President Jeffrey Stiffarm, Fort Belknap Indian Community
“On this day, we honor Hanna Harris and the countless American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women and girls who have been murdered or have gone missing, along with their families and communities who continue to seek justice and healing. The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) applauds the designation of May 5, 2024, as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls, and we thank Senator Daines and Senator Tester for their ongoing efforts to bring attention to this crisis. We call on the world to organize for systemic change at all levels to put an end to this violence.” – Lucy R. Simpson, Executive Director, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC)
“Congratulations to Senator Daines and Tester on taking the initiative to continue to support our Indigenous communities by helping us bring continued awareness on the vital matter of our Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. My heart and prayers continue to go out to all the past, present, and future survivors and family members of the victims impacted by the tragedies in why our community has the highest rates of missing and murdered. By having the highest rates and being at the bottom of the totem pole, we can help uplift other communities who face similar issues. By tackling our issues, you can make positive changes for the collective. Awareness is the initial step of consciousness, by redistributing power, resources, and equity to the impacted communities. Awareness creates healing, education, protective measures, and a message that we too matter. Women are the field that produces our nation, if you cannot protect your women, you can’t protect your nation. Women are the backbone of our Country.” MMIW Bike-Run USA
“Mitigating the numbers of those precious souls who were murdered and those still missing is the right thing for strong and healthy governments to take on. Designating a specific day to remember them and their loved ones helps to show we as a country have compassionate citizens and helps us to remember the work must continue forward.” Jean BearCrane, Executive Director, Montana Native Women’s Coalition (MNWC)
Native American women and girls in Montana face a murder rate that is 10 times higher than the national average. According to the National Institute of Justice, more than 80 percent of Native American women have experienced violence and almost half have experienced it within the past year.
Full text of the resolution can be found HERE.