PROTECTING MISSING & RUNAWAY NATIVE YOUTH
In our work gathering data for the MMIW database, we have documented frequent cases of missing and runaway Indigenous girls who go missing over and over again. Some of these girls have gone missing as many as 80 times in three years. Most are impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and many are victims of trafficking or sexual exploitation. Some go on to be incarcerated or experience other forms of violence as adults, including being trafficked, going missing, or being murdered.
SBI is gathering data on incidents of missing and runaway Indigenous youth of all genders, to assess the scope of this crisis and gain insight into how best practices such as ICWA courts and youth healing programs can better protect Indigenous youth who have gone missing or run away, and intervene in these cycles of violence.