StrongHearts Native Helpline honors missing and murdered

 StrongHearts Native Helpline honors missing and murdered

By StrongHearts Native Helpline

 

As a helpline dedicated to serving Native Americans and Alaska Natives impacted by domestic, dating and sexual violence, StrongHearts Native Helpline honors our relatives and communities impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) and those working to end this crisis.

 

StrongHearts understands the issues of MMIR are related to domestic, dating and sexual violence. We know that missing and murdered victims can be children, elders, Two-Spirit, men and those with disabilities. This crisis affects all of our relatives.

 

Research shows that women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner (husband, boyfriend, same-sex partner, or ex) than by anyone else. Over 84 percent of Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime. Nationally, across all racial and ethnic groups, approximately two out of five female murder victims are killed by an intimate partner. Homicide is a leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women. Many killings linked to domestic violence occur right after recent breakups or during separations. Leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Native peoples also face being killed by strangers. For Native male victims, 12.3 percent of the time, the suspect is a person known to the victim but the exact nature of the relationship was unclear. For Native female victims, 7.9 percent of the time, the suspect was or is a person known to the victim but the exact nature of the relationship was unclear.

 

Complicated legal systems, jurisdictional confusion, and lack of resources continue to leave many Native victims of violence and their families without support or justice. Whether the violence is coming from inside the home, or from strangers living near tribal communities or in urban centers, meaningful action must be taken to prevent more of our relatives from going missing or being murdered. Our relatives deserve justice.

 

Each year, the MMIR issue gets more visibility in the United States. An important milestone was reached on November 15, 2021 when President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14053, aimed at improving public safety and criminal justice for Native Americans and addressing the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. The Executive Order builds on work that was already in place under the Attorney General’s MMIP Initiative and Operation Lady Justice (established in November 2019), and the tasks required by Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act. Published in November 2021, “When a Loved One Goes Missing: Resources for Families of Missing American Indian and Alaska Native Adults” is an Operation Lady Justice guide that provides critical information and resources to assist family members with the search for a missing adult loved one.

 

y-Advocates are available 24/7 by texting or calling 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483) or via online chat at strongheartshelpline.org. Advocates can provide lifesaving tools and immediate support to enable survivors to find safety and live lives free of abuse.

 

The post StrongHearts Native Helpline honors missing and murdered first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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