Partner Project

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

REDress Project Installation at the University of Michigan

A partnership between Central Student Government and the MMIP Research Lab

Started by artist and activist Jaime Black, the REDress Project focuses on the issue of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). The project has been installed in public spaces throughout Canada and the United States as a visual reminder of the staggering number of Indigenous women who are no longer with us.

Learn more about the REDress Project

Mar

23
–
29

2026

Pierpont Commons

2101 Bonisteel Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Regents Plaza (the Cube)
503 Thompson, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

until April 3

GCCA Gallery, the Duderstadt Center

2281 Bonisteel, Ann Arbor 48109

Regular Hours

Mar

2026

Michigan Union

530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

6pm-8pm

Background

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis is systematically caused, maintained, and overlooked. Native Americans are systematically targeted due to the intentional failure of the United States to provide equal physical and legal protection.

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Movement is: a social and political action aimed at providing awareness to the disproportionately high rates of violence against Indigenous Women. The red handprint, often a symbol of the MMIW movement represents silenced voices — the silence and lack of interest given to victimized Indigenous women.

May 5th is generally observed as MMIW Awareness Day, however it is also frequently acknowledged as part of Native American Heritage Month programming (November) or Women’s History Month (March).

Key Facts

4 in 5

American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3%) have experienced violence in their lifetime, including 56.1% who have experienced sexual violence.

Source >>

Data from the U.S. Department of Justice identifies that at least

70%

of the violence committed against Native women is perpetrated by non-Native individuals. Native women may be targeted specifically because “they are perceived as marginalized and outside the protection of the American legal system” Deer, S. (2015). The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America. University of Minnesota Press. Page 9.

Source >>

Homicide rates

for American Indian and Alaska Native women aged 25 and over are the

highest in the United States.

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In their lifetime, about

44%

of American Indian and Alaska Native women are raped.

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More than

4 in 5

American Indian and Alaska Native men (81.6%) have experienced violence in their lifetime.

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In the U.S., Indigenous women are murdered at a rate more than

10x

the national average in some regions.

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In the United States, there are currently

575

federally recognized Tribes and over

400

Tribal justice systems.

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Savanna’s Act, S.227, was originally introduced in 2017 by Senator Heidi Heitkamp after the horrific murder of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a pregnant member of the Spirit Lake Tribe. Senator Lisa Murkowski reintroduced the bill in 2019, and it was passed by the Senate in March 2020.

Savanna’s Act:

clarifies federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement responsibilities with respect to missing or murdered Indians.
aims to increase communication and coordination between federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
improves tribal access to resources and information such as the federal criminal information databases needed to respond effectively to missing and murdered Indian cases.
requires data collection related to missing and murdered Indian people, regardless of where they reside.
directs U.S. attorneys to develop regionally appropriate guidelines for responding to missing or murdered Indians.

Source >>

Gender based violence, including sexual assault and physical violence, is committed against

78% to 85%

of Indigenous Two Spirit individuals.

Source >>

Rosalie Fish

is a member of the Cowlitz Tribe and former student athlete at Iowa Central Community College and the University of Washington. As a senior at Muckleshoot Tribal School, Fish made international headlines when she painted a red handprint over her mouth, the fingers extending across her cheeks to honor the lives of missing and murdered indigenous women. Fish was inspired by Jordan Marie Daniel, a citizen of the Kul Wicasa Oyate/Lower Brule Reservation in South Dakota. Daniel first wore a hand print across her face during the Boston Marathon in April 2019.

Source >>

Sarah Deer’s

legal scholarship focuses on the challenges facing Tribal Nation in the United States, particularly criminal justice. Her 2015 book, The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America, is the culmination of over 25 years of working with survivors and criminal justice personnel. As a tribal jurist and scholar, Justice Deer’s scholarship focuses on the intersection of federal Indian law and victims’ rights, using indigenous principles as a framework. She has testified before Congress on four occasions regarding violence against Native women and was appointed by Attorney General Eric Holder to chair a federal advisory committee on sexual violence in Indian country.

Source >>

Jurisdictional issues in MMIW cases create complex, overlapping, and often neglected legal authority involving tribal, federal, and state law enforcement. This confusion leads to delayed investigations, lost evidence, and inability to prosecute non-Native perpetrators on tribal lands, largely stemming from historical constraints on tribal sovereignty and inconsistent federal action.

Key jurisdictional challenges include:

Non-Native Perpetrators: Under Oliphant v. Suquamish Tribe (1978), tribal courts generally lack authority to prosecute non-Native offenders for crimes committed on tribal land, leaving them to federal authorities who often decline cases.
Federal Declination: The FBI and U.S. Attorneys hold jurisdiction for major felonies in Indian Country, but there is a high rate of decline to prosecute.
Overlapping Authority: Distinctions between tribal, federal, and state responsibility are often unclear, causing delays as agencies determine who has jurisdiction.
Public Law 280 (PL-280): This law transferred federal law enforcement authority on tribal lands to certain states, but frequently without providing funding, leaving tribes with insufficient resources and police presence.
Data Inaccuracies: MMIW cases are often misclassified or underreported due to lack of coordination between tribal and state systems. These issues are further compounded by underfunded tribal police departments and lack of information sharing between jurisdictions.

Resources for Action

Learn More