Indigenous women and girls in the United States experience violence up to 10 times higher than the national average. Homicide is their third leading cause of death. The data are clear—femicide is happening across the United States, with devastating impacts on all communities. The intentional killing of a woman or girl is the most extreme form of gender-based violence, rooted in gender and racial inequality, harmful patriarchal norms, and systemic failures. The crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+) shows us the urgent nature of femicide in the United States. Addressing the issue requires both protective policy and prevention strategies that confront its root causes.
Read more about the violence hidden behind closed doors in our full report: Behind Closed Doors: Exposing and Addressing Harmful Gender-Based Practices in the United States.
Webinar: Education as Prevention: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
The Population Institute and the Indigenous Justice Circle hosted a webinar on Red Dress Day 2026 to discuss education as a powerful tool for the prevention of femicide occurring in the United States, including in the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMWG2S+) relatives.
