A new FBI report, Violence Against American Indian or Alaska Native Females: 2021–2023, provides new data about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis. The report uses data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to identify relationships between victims and offenders, weapons used, locations of incidents and ages of victims in both violent crimes and victims of sexual crimes.
The FBI report analyzed nearly 35,000 incidents of violent and sexual crimes committed against Native American women. Key findings show that firearms are commonly used against the victims of violent crimes, while personal weapons are used to commit sexual offenses. Most offenses occur at residences. Native American adults are most often victims of violence, while Native juveniles make up most victims of sexual offenses.
Native Americans face murder rates that are ten times the national average, with homicide ranking among the top 10 causes of death for Native women. While the Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates 4,200 unsolved MMIP cases, the actual number may be higher. Inconsistent record-keeping across jurisdictions and limited data continue to complicate efforts to address the crisis.
However, reports like this can still help in addressing the MMIP crisis. The more hard data available, the better trends can be pinpointed. This can lead to more accurate resources, such as funding for public safety and victim support. The report shows that incidents often involve an intimate partner, so the crimes are not only occurring to Natives by unknown, non-native assailants, but are happening within communities. This information can lead to more resources being tailored and offered within the communities to provide more safety to women and children.
