ALBERTA: Province announces additional support MMIWG

 

Officials with the Alberta government say grant applications are now open for communities and organizations working to address the violence, safety and economic security of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people.

Alberta’s government say it is committed to ensuring Indigenous women, girls and two spirit plus (2S+) people have a future that is safe, secure and respected.  Officials say the Community Support Fund provides grants for community-based, Indigenous-led initiatives that address violence and increase safety and economic security for these groups.

According to the government, the fund will support $4 million in grants each year. Recipients can receive a maximum of $200,000 towards their initiatives. The fund is expected to provide immediate support for healing, preventing violence and addressing the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people, complementing the long-term work of the Premier’s Council on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“As the Premier’s Council advances collaborative work with the Government of Alberta, this dedicated ongoing funding is important for Indigenous-led projects to support Indigenous women, girls and 2S+peoples. I commend the province for taking the initiative on this grant program,” adds Rachelle Venne, chair, Premier’s Council on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. 

“The Community Support Fund is creating projects and initiatives for Indigenous and non-Indigenous community organizations to create a safer, more supportive community for Indigenous women, girls and two spirit people. This funding will foster healing, awareness and hope among this vibrant and key demographic.,” notes LeeAnne Ireland, executive director, Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth.

 The call for applications will close on Oct. 6. 

Alberta government quick facts 

First Nations, Métis and Inuit women face significantly higher rates of violence throughout their lifetimes than all other women in Canada. 

In Alberta, Indigenous women are seven times more likely to be murdered, three times more likely to experience sexual assault, and twice as likely to be assaulted compared with non-Indigenous women. 

 In 2021, Alberta had the second-highest reports of homicide for Indigenous people behind Saskatchewan. 

 

SOURCE

StrongHearts Announces Blue Campaign Collaboration #MMIR #HumanTrafficking

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR)

MMIR Intersects with Human Trafficking

 

(EAGAN, Minn., June 24, 2023) – 

“We recognize that the crisis of our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) intersects with human trafficking and that eradicating violence against Native people hinges upon our ability to educate the public,” said CEO Lori Jump, StrongHearts Native Helpline. “That is why we are embracing a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Blue Campaign.”

The Blue Campaign is a public awareness campaign created to educate the general public, law enforcement and industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and how to appropriately respond to possible cases. DHS Blue Campaign works closely with other DHS components and various partners to develop general awareness training, as well as specific educational resources to help reduce victimization of human trafficking.

DHS Blue Campaign and StrongHearts Advertising Campaign

Blue Campaign and StrongHearts’ are collaborating on advertising efforts between the months of July and September 2023 to be distributed throughout the state of Washington. More importantly, StrongHearts and DHS staff will develop training for StrongHearts advocates on best practices when responding to Human Trafficking.

“We are diversifying training for StrongHearts advocates to enable them to better serve the needs of our people,” Jump added. “Washington is a progressive state that has implemented a Missing Indigenous Person Alert (MIPA) as well as launched a cold case unit for missing and murdered Indigenous people. Engaging in this partnership with the DHS will help to eradicate violence against our relatives.”

Expanded Reach

The DHS partnership expands the reach of StrongHearts by creating another avenue for spreading awareness that culturally appropriate support and advocacy is available for Native Americans experiencing human trafficking, domestic and sexual violence. It’s a collaboration that will open lines of communications between Native centered service providers and our relatives who need help.

The Blue Campaign leverages partnerships with the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), law enforcement, and state/local authorities to maximize national public engagement. Blue Campaign’s educational awareness objectives consist of two foundational elements: prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons.

Recognizing Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is an exploitation-based crime against a person that involves force, fraud and/or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act - victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Key indicators can include:

● The person appears disconnected from family, friends, and community.

● The child stopped attending school.

● The person had a sudden or dramatic change in behavior.

● A juvenile engages in commercial sex acts.

● The person is disoriented or confused/showing signs of mental or physical abuse.

● The person may have bruises in various stages of healing.

● The person is fearful, timid, or submissive and shows signs of neglect.

● Someone else seems to be in control of where they go or who they talk to.

StrongHearts Can Help

If you are experiencing domestic violence and/or sexual violence, StrongHearts advocates can help by providing: peer support and advocacy, personalized safety planning, crisis intervention, referrals to Native-centered service providers; and support finding health facilities and crisis centers trained in the care of survivors of sexual assault, general information about jurisdiction, and legal advocacy referrals.

Serving all individuals who reach out for their services regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or any other factor protected by local, state, or federal law, StrongHearts Native Helpline can be reached by calling or texting 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483) or by online chat at strongheartshelpline.org, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

To report suspected human trafficking, please call DHS tip line at 1-866-347-2423. To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).

National Day Of Awareness | INVISIBLE NO MORE #MMIWG - Vital Billboard Campaign VIDEO

National Day Of Awareness For Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women (& Girls) #MMIWG

Guest Commentary Published May 5, 2019

“I stand before you today, a full-blooded Native American woman, a Northern Arapaho/Hunkpapa Lakota. The statistics that hang over my head are these: I am among the most stalked, raped, murdered, sexually assaulted, and abused of any women in any ethnic group, and I am among those who suffer domestic violence 50 times higher than the national average.” 

I use that statement to open my presentations on the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis. I travel around Indian Country, as I have for years, to raise awareness and inform our people of the scale of the tragedy and, crucially, how to make a safer environment for their communities and families. I have done this work for over a decade, and when I committed to it the term “MMIW” had not been coined.

I am somebody who works with data, but Chairman Gerald Grey of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (RMTLC) recently made a statement that should resonate with us all, that speaks to more than numbers: “I choose not to quote statistics because our women and girls are human beings not statistics. This is mom. Auntie. Sister. Niece. Daughter. Cousin. And sometimes, grandma. We know the names of some of the victims, but study after study shows that MMIWG cases are underreported, so there are many, many names we do not and may never know.” This is personal. When we learn of another victim near or far, in our reservations communities we can relate on a deep, emotional level. We may not know the victim or their family, but we know the socio-economic conditions; we know the struggle.
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Visit: www.mmiw-gic.com

Lynette Grey Bull is Senior Vice President of Global Indigenous Council and the founder of Not Our Native Daughters. In 2017, Lynette provided statistics and research on missing and exploited Native women and children for the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. She previously served as Chair of the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs at the Governor’s office, and on the Arizona Governor’s Human Trafficking Task Force.