When it comes to missing Indigenous women, we don't actually know how bad it is

Published: Monday, November 15, 2021 - 11:56am
Updated: Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 11:12am
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Government Accountability Office
Gretta Goodwin

"Missing and murdered Indigenous women" has become a well-known phrase in recent years as the crisis of violence against Native American women has gotten more attention.

But a new report from the Government Accountability Office shows we don’t actually know the extent of the problem.

There is no central database to track this problem — a phenomenon caused by a patchwork of jurisdictional issues and a long history of systemic racism and mistrust of law enforcement in Indigenous communities.

The GAO report came years after members of Congress wrote a letter requesting it, and Gretta Goodwin led the charge.

Goodwin is the director of homeland security and justice for the Government Accountability Office. The Show spoke with her about that data.

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