AICHO Highlights Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women During Human Trafficking Awareness Month

DULUTH, Minn. – statistics show native women are trafficked at ten times the rate of other populations in the region.

Minnesota ranks high nationally in human trafficking cases, making events like this community gathering more significant.

At the gathering, women wore red solidarity shawls and participated in a traditional dance to honor victims.

The goal is to not only to bring awareness.

It is also a chance for people to learn the signs of human trafficking.

“Drug trafficking plays into that,” said Advocate for Native Lives Matter Coalition, Rene Ann Goodrich. “Its one of the components, contributing factors we need to take a closer look at.”

A UW superior student, who has done extensive research into why native women go missing so often, says the reasons goes beyond the violence committed against the women.

In 2016, there were nearly 6,000 reports of missing American Indian women and girls, according to the National Crime Information Center.

Only 117 of these cases were recorded by the Department of Justice.

“There is not even a category in a lot of these databases for Native American people. We’re not even mentioned as a people in these databases,” said Jessica Smith.

In 2011, the Justice Department only filed charges on about half of the cases reported.

Events will continue all month to bring awareness to missing and murdered indigenous women.

The next event will be a candlelight vigil in Two Harbors at the Lake County Courthouse this Thursday at 4:30 p.m.