LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) -The 2026 National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives takes place May 4-8, with organizers urging communities nationwide to display the official poster and share it on social media using #MMIWRWeekofAction.
According to the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center, on some reservations, Native women face murder rates more than ten times the national average. The disappearances and murders are often linked to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, sex trafficking, and longstanding harms impacting Indigenous communities.
Homicide is the third leading cause of death among Indigenous women ages 10-24. According to data, 56.1% have experienced sexual violence, 55.5% have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner, and 48.8% have experienced stalking.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported 10,248 missing Indigenous persons reports in 2024. Of those, 5,614 were women and 4,626 were men. Most women reported missing were under the age of 18.
In Hawaii, 64% of human trafficking victims identified as at least part Native Hawaiian.
Oklahoma is among the 10 states with the highest rates of American Indian/Alaska Native missing persons cases in 2025.
Other states include Alaska, Arizona, Washington, New Mexico, California, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Texas.
The Urban Indian Health Institute found that 95% of identified cases had not been covered by mainstream media. Because of limited data, there is no reliable nationwide count of how many Native women go missing or are murdered each year.
In 2017, the Montana Congressional Delegation secured passage of a Senate resolution declaring May 5 as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives. The resolution was a response to demands for justice following the 2013 murder of Hanna Harris on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.
Due to an inadequate law enforcement response, Harris' family and friends conducted their own search. Their pursuit of justice sparked community-led marches and advocacy efforts for Harris and other unresolved cases.
The National Day of Awareness calls for honoring the lives of missing and murdered relatives, shedding light on tragedies impacting Native women and communities, highlighting the need for grassroots advocacy, and sharing information to drive legal reforms. Advocates say the day requires action and accountability at the Tribal, federal, and state levels to address the crisis.
The House of Hope is a program through the Citizen Potawatomi Nation that offers free assistance to all individuals, Native or non-Native, who have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking.