#WabanakiAlliance testifies in Washington about the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women [#MMIW]
Maine Public | By Carol Bousquet
Published November 21, 2024
"Murdered and missing indigenous women were the focus of a hearing before House Interior Appropriations leaders Wednesday in Washington.
"Wabanaki Alliance Executive Director Maulian Bryant testified that one in three indigenous women will be the victim of a violent crime in her lifetime. And she said stereotypes about indigenous people silence victims and make their cases more challenging to address.
"'When an Indigenous woman goes missing there's not the same attention and action as when a Caucasian woman does. The primary reasons for this are threefold: societal indifference, jurisdictional and coordination issues, and a lack of resources for tribal law enforcement agencies. The false conceptions of our people lead to victim blaming and attitudes that minimize attention given to these cases,' Bryant said.
"The 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, Bryant said, has led to the dismissal of tribal cases because they were 'kicked out to state courts' and resulted in 'zero convictions.'
"'The state was very adept at their negotiating, and it's kept us oppressed and held back from our full experience as federally recognized tribal nations," she said. 'We are heavily restricted by this settlement, and it impacts this crisis as well.'
"Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2022 means Maine tribes are now able to handle criminal cases on tribal lands.
"But Bryant said more resources are needed for tribal law enforcement training and ensuring that data on indigenous crimes against women are collected and shared with state and federal agencies that can help to bring justice to victims.
"Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, ranking member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, invited Bryant to testify.
"In a statement, Pingree said there is a need for additional funding for staffing and public safety, and justice programs that can comprehensively address this crisis. 'That's why it's imperative we pass a full year Interior Appropriations bill and not have programs constrained by operating under a Continuing Resolution,' she said.
"The 2023 launch of the Department of Justice Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person Regional Outreach Program has placed ten attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to help respond to cases, according to Pingree."
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