ST. GEORGE — Utah has one of the highest rates of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the country and the Legislature voted Thursday to combat the problem.
“When we’re talking about Indigenous community members, we have some jurisdiction issues,” chief-sponsor House Rep. Angela Romero told St. George News. “So, in working with the federal government, local and state government, that can be messy at times. And the other thing is just ensuring that people are taken seriously when they report someone missing.”
The Utah Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force, now called the Utah Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force, is extended to the end of 2024. The task force was created in 2020 to strengthen the state’s response to missing Native American women and girls and was set to expire this year.
The Legislature had appropriated $130,000 for a study to increase the safety of Native American women and girls and reduce gender violence in Utah.
House Bill 25 allows time for the task force to receive the information from a research institute, the Wilder Group, which is interviewing tribal leaders and people in the Native American community. Romero championed the bill with Sen. Sponsor David P. Hinkins. She said the Wilder Group would compile its findings and make recommendations by November 2023.
“We want to be able to share that research with our different tribal communities but also different parts of Utah to get feedback from the community,” Romero said.
Through “listening sessions” with different tribal communities across Utah, the task force learned more people were concerned about all missing relatives. So they changed the title of the task force.
She is also looking forward to hearing the details of the study. Many people in the Native American community want to be heard and tell their stories about how their loved ones went missing.
“They knew that there was foul play, but other people did not consider that person missing or that it occurred,” Romero said.
Even though the task force will sunset in 2024, Romero and Hankins plan to keep the issue alive. They serve on the Legislative Liaison Committee, along with a variety of community members.
Once they receive the research institute’s recommendations, they will consider more legislation for the 2024 session.
“We’ll continue to do this work even after the task force sunsets for as long as Sen. Higgins and I are in office,” she said. “We will continue to push those issues.”
As legislators, they say they will stay committed to working with tribal leaders and the Native American community through the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee.
“I think a lot of times when people think of our Indigenous community, just assume everyone is on a reservation, and that’s not necessarily true,” Romero said. “Most natives in Utah live in a metropolitan setting. So it’s very complicated. We want to make sure that we tackle the issues we face in an urban setting, as well.”
Yolanda Francisco, executive director of Restoring Ancestral Winds, Inc., said in an email to St. George News that the nonprofit is also a member of the Utah Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force.
Francisco said in 2021 and 2022, they heard from tribal members about the “heartbreak and trauma” they have experienced. These stories may be accessed online at utah.gov and search Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force.
“The task force work was delayed due to COVID,” Francisco said. “Utah House Bill 25 allowed us to edit the name and grant this work to continue for another year.”
According to the Restoring Ancestral Winds website, a recent report from the Urban Indian Health Institute found Salt Lake City to be in the top 10 cities for cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
“Tribal nations in Utah operate at a deficit when it comes to providing victims services. We have folks who do not have law enforcement,” Francisco said.
Francisco said violence prevention is key. Restoring Ancestral Winds conducts prevention through education and awareness. They host dialogue sessions on safety and conduct training sessions on healing from trauma.
“What sets us apart is that we produce culturally relevant and appropriate training for the tribes. We are helping tribes establish a multidisciplinary team so that victims don’t fall through the cracks,” Francisco said. “We are providing technical assistance to help tribes apply for federal funding that may allow them to create a police substation.”
The 501C3 nonprofit is a domestic violence and sexual assault tribal coalition located in Sandy, Utah. Restoring Ancestral Winds, Inc. works with the eight tribes and urban tribal communities. They offer training, technical assistance and policy and advocacy. Most of their funding is from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women.
“If the question is what can we, as a society, do to prevent violence toward Indigenous people, the answer is that we must recognize our own bias and seek solutions that may help address it,” Francisco said. “Learn more about the authentic, profound history of America’s original inhabitants.”
According to the organization’s website, a way to end the violence against Indigenous people is to address silence and ignorance, so that Utah residents understand “the critical need to create comprehensive and holistic change in our communities as a path to honoring and protecting our Indigenous Relatives. We must address symptoms of settler colonialism such as land-dispossession, poverty, homelessness, racism, sexism, rape, trafficking and environmental racism.”
Additionally, people can get involved in organizations like Restoring Ancestral Winds, Inc. who provide basic services to Indigenous people.
“Offer your time. You may volunteer or contribute. Think about those who are able to dial 911 and receive immediate service, then ponder about those who can’t. How can we help end violence?’ Francisco said. “There are many ways we can progress as a society if we first seek to understand and recognize the value of our fellow human beings by lending our voice, intelligence or time as an ally after we’ve done the work to recognize our privilege.”
If you’re experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, call StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1-844-7NATIVE.
Check out all of St. George News’ coverage of the 2023 Utah Legislature here.
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