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Trigger warning: This article discusses the topic of sexual assault.

One in three women across the globe experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organization.

In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 56.1% of female respondents reported experiencing sexual violence by an acquaintance as of 2016. It’s reported that 40% of women in the United States experience sexual violence during their lives.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which draws attention to people who have experienced sexual violence in the United States and around the world. However, this idea of awareness seems to exclude a very significant portion of the United States population: Indigenous people.

Studies on the topic show Indigenous women experience higher rates of sexual assault and victimization compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts.

Despite the reality that Indigenous women experience more violence, it wasn’t until recently that Indigenous women received more attention and heard genuine discussion about what they experience.

According to the Violence Against Women Network, which is a project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, “American Indians are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault crimes compared to all other races, and one in three Indian women reports having been raped during her lifetime.”

This is related to the reality that many sexual abuse cases are denied by prosecutors. According to the New York Times, “More than 80% of sex crimes on reservations are committed by (non-Native) men, who are immune from prosecution by tribal courts.”

“In recent years there has been significantly more representation and discussion held around the topic. This includes podcasts as well as the Native Womens Wilderness founded in Boulder, Colorado, which provides support and information on these murdered and missing Indigenous women.”

According to the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations, “Indigenous populations in North America have a much greater rate of sexual assault and domestic violence than any other ethnicity.”

But how can change be made? How can the issue of underreporting and the need for Indigenous women to be recognized as people be something that is done nationwide?

Well, there are a few steps currently being taken. For Indigenous individuals who go missing or are murdered in the United States, there is a Facebook group that exists to bring awareness to each case: the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA.

As a nonprofit organization, they are making a small dent in trying to help and support those who are missing as well as shedding light on the issue.

In 2021 the White House passed an executive order that sought to address this situation; they aimed to improve the safety of Indigenous people through law enforcement training and effective communication. Additionally, many people who are part of these communities are choosing to stand up for themselves and put up any fight necessary to get their questions answered and their people found.

In recent years there has been significantly more representation and discussion held around the topic. This includes podcasts as well as the Native Womens Wilderness organization founded in Boulder, Colorado, which provides support and information on these murdered and missing Indigenous women.

Indigenous people deserve the same representation and publicity as those who are considered “more American;” however, change cannot occur until the United States accepts them into mainstream society and no longer neglects Indigenous people for not fitting in.

Reach Dominique Lopez at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @caffeinateddee6.