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Families in New Mexico are calling attention to violence against Indigenous women this week and the lack of data around those missing and murdered.

Since 2017, May 5 has been designated "National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Day of Awareness."

Darlene Gomez, an attorney and advocate in Albuquerque, said the crisis extends beyond reservations, also affecting Indigenous people living in cities or other rural areas.

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"The murder rate for Native American and Alaska Natives is three times that of non-Hispanic white women," Gomez pointed out. "They're 10 times more likely to be murdered than the national average."

Gomez noted federal data show homicide is the third leading cause of death for women between the ages of 15 and 24. She added men are also missing, many on the Navajo Nation spanning northwestern New Mexico, Arizona and southeastern Utah. Several local agencies and grassroots organizations will host events this week to provide resources and education around the issue.

Unsolved cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women number in the thousands across North America, driven by systemic underreporting and jurisdictional confusion, along with a lack of law enforcement and media attention.

Gomez underscored in 2020, New Mexico had the highest number of cases in the U.S., even though its Indigenous population is only the country's fifth-largest.

"We are seeing large numbers coming from New Mexico, from Arizona, from South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Montana," Gomez outlined. "By far, Alaska Natives have the highest numbers."

Activities this week include an awareness day at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and a missing and murdered Diné relatives symposium in Window Rock, Arizona. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque will host a community honor walk with keynote speakers, support for families of victims and resource tables.