Bill Would Create Alert System For Missing Indigenous Women

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington's legislature is being asked to consider a new proposal to create an alert system for missing or endangered Indigenous women.

The proposal, House Bill 1725, is a collaborative effort from Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and state Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-Anacortes), who argue that the state has not done enough to protect its Indigenous population, specifically Indigenous women. Indigenous women go missing and are murdered at higher rates than any other ethnic group in the country. They are two and a half times more likely to experience sexual assault, and nearly half of Indigenous women in America have been raped, beaten, or stalked, according to state data.

“The unheard screams of missing and murdered people will be heard across Washington state with the implementation of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Alert System,” said Rep. Lekanoff in a written statement. “Too many Indigenous mothers, sisters, wives and daughters have been torn from their families and their children raised without mothers. This crisis impacts every one of our families and communities and it takes collaboration among all governing bodies, law enforcement and media to bring awareness and stop these horrific crimes.”

Sponsors say the proposal would work similar to the current "silver alerts" — issued when vulnerable adults go missing — broadcasting information about the missing person on message boards and highway advisory radio messages, and sending information to local media for distribution. Silver alerts are used in 37 states and have a proven track record, with a success rate over 90 percent in some states.

If passed, it would be the first alert system in the nation specifically designed to help missing or murdered Indigenous women.

“The rate of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Washington is a crisis,” Ferguson said. “We must do everything we can to address this problem. This effective tool will help quickly and safely locate missing Indigenous women and people.”

The proposal is part of a longstanding effort from Ferguson's office to address disproportionate violence against Indigenous women. Last year, Ferguson helped create the Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIW/P) Task Force, a 23-member task force which will outline steps the state can take to better prevent violence against indigenous women and people.