No More Stolen Sisters

Social Structures

Authors: Gerard Maguire – Nottingham Trent University, DSA Ireland & Katie Donnellan – Maynooth University

The 2021 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples will focus on the theme “Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract” and takes place on the 9^th of August. Various groups and peoples are redesigning a new social contract that serves the interest of “We, the peoples”, as per the preamble of the United Nations Charter. However, it appears that in certain instances, there are some people being left behind. The plight of Indigenous Women in the United States (US) and Canada is one that receives little attention or media spotlight. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) is a human-rights crisis that disproportionately affects Indigenous Peoples in the US and Canada.

USA

“What’s happened through US Federal law and policy is they created lands of impunity where this is like a playground for serial rapists, batterers, killers, whoever and our children aren’t protected at all” – Lisa Brunner, Executive Director of Sacred Spirits First National Coalition.

In the US, Native American women are more than twice as likely to experience violence than any other demographic. The vulnerability of these women is maximised by being a part of an already marginalised group within society. The truth is that 33% of Indigenous Women in the US are sexually assaulted during their lives and three out five will be physically assaulted. 67% of these assaults are committed by persons of other races. Indigenous Women in the US are also ten times more likely to be murdered than their counterparts within the general population.

While laws have been enacted to address the incredible rates of crimes against Indigenous Women, it has been at a glacial pace and has only witnessed real growth in the past decade. The federal Violence Against Women Act 2013 gave tribes, for the first time, jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute felony domestic violence offenses involving both Native American offenders on reservations, as well as offenders of other races. This was followed by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act which was passed in 2019, and subsequently increased tribes’ prosecution rights much further. In 2021, Biden Administration Secretary of Interior, Deborah Howland, announced the creation of the Missing and Murdered Unit within that department.

What has been seen over the past decade is a band of sisterhood amongst Indigenous Communities in the US, transitioning to self-actualising groups demanding the rights and protections they deserve. In the spirit of ‘leaving no one behind’ on this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the message is especially applicable to these women who have been victims of the state in which they reside and, at times, the communities in which they live. Their voices must now be heard to ensure there are no more stolen sisters.

Canada

‘A Nation is not defeated until the hearts of its women are in the ground. Then it’s finished. No matter how brave its warriors, or how strong it’s weapons’ (Northern Cheyenne Teaching)

The Final Report of Canada’s National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People (MMIWG), released in 2019 emphasises the integral role of Indigenous Women, as the ‘backbone and life force’ of Indigenous existence. This underlies the historical campaign of gendered oppression executed by the State against IWG and manifested in the various actions that comprised the colonisation of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, through a system which ‘enforced a patriarchal Christian dogma that devalued women, enforced homophobia and transphobia, and exposed them to abuse that made them easy targets for abuse from others.’

Endemic levels of Violence against Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People (VAIWG) ‘through the use of patriarchy as a tool to disempower and disarm Indigenous matriarchal governance systems’ is merely the contemporary manifestation of historical oppression. The statistics paint a harrowing picture: Indigenous Women are twelve-times more likely to be murdered or go missing, compared to non-Indigenous women. Moreover, thousands of cases remain undocumented. This violence manifests in diverse forms, from exploitation and trafficking to State-sponsored abuse and enforced sterilisations to underfunding of essential services.

Nevertheless, Indigenous People resist, empowering themselves through a growing network of grassroots movements which raise awareness and advocate for change. The Native Women’s Association of Canada advocates for ‘legislative and policy reforms that promote equality for IWAG and envisions ‘an Indigenous community which determines how our natural resources are utilized and can co-exist in co-operation with society – free of racism and discrimination’. Indeed, the recent National Action Plan on Ending VAIWG acknowledges the tireless work of such organisations, including the instrumental work of the National Family and Survivors Circle, who are ‘the voice pressing for a transformative process leading to change, advocating for prevention and the end to gender- and race-based violence’. On this International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples, we recognise and applaud such efforts in Canada to draft a new social contract.  

Slow improvements have been made in the US and Canada. The 5^th May is now a National Day of Awareness in the US and Canada in order to raise concern and refocus attention on issues affecting Indigenous Women specifically. It hopes to improve relations between the federal and tribal governments and ensure that there are no more stolen sisters.