Disappearing Indigenous Women
The third leading cause of death for Indigenous women between the ages 10-24 is homicide. Indigenous women’s murder rate is ten times higher than the nation's average. Throughout our country and Canada, thousands of indigenous women are reported missing. According to Native Women's Wilderness, 2016 the National Crime Information Center reported 5,712 missing Indigenous girls and women. In the cases where they are murdered, the murder is typically committed by a non-indigenous person on indigenous land.
Many of these cases go unsolved due to jurisdictional issues and poor communication between tribal, local, federal, and state law enforcement. Law enforcement also tends to put indigenous women on the back burner when solving cases or even going to trial. Trials get put off and put off for years, even decades, and the families are left with uncertainty and questions about their family members.
Washington state currently has one of the highest number of cases involving missing or murdered indigenous women and girls. As of April 2023, there are 134 missing indigenous people in Washington state. Indigenous women and girls face a considerable threat, whether it is in the case of missing girls and women or even murder. Light needs to be brought to this threat against indigenous girls and women. We need to talk more about the women and girls who have faced these awful truths. Our society needs to bring light to this cause and how it is affecting our own community.
Yakima County holds the majority of missing indigenous women and girls in Washington state. Latoya Salazar, missing since January 21, 2023. Mary Ann Young reported missing on December 30, 2022. Benita Long was last seen on March 26, 2022. Eleanor Trujillo went missing on February 1, 1996. Janice Marie Hannigan disappeared on Christmas Eve, 1971. Daisy Mae Heath was reported missing on October 29, 1987; partial remains were found in 2008 and early this year were confirmed to be her. Tina Lee Rain Cloud was shot to death on March 30, 2021, at around 11 pm. They have not arrested the perpetrator. These are just some of the missing women and girls and victims of unsolved homicides in Yakima County. Mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, cousins, and friends are reported missing or found murdered, with a small few actually having answers in the end. What if it was your friend or a family member? Would you like the issue swept under the rug or light brought to the case?
