In/Visibility
People often ask why MMIWG2S is such a massive problem, and I always point to this statistic–this statistic and the systemic inequity it implies.
In 2016, 5712 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women were reported. Only 116 cases were logged by the Department of Justice. This disparity in reporting versus recording speaks to the fundamental invisibility of Indigenous people in justice systems. Despite the disproportionate levels of violence Indigenous people face, we are undercounted across US justice databases. This means that, despite the colossal violence we face, there are inadequate systemic measures in place to reconcile rates of violence.
This statistic was one of the motivations behind this project. Justice needs witnesses, and, if formal systems fail to recognize the importance of our lives, we need allies.
miskobagizi 