The Silence of Violence: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Portrayals in the Media

Abstract

When reviewing major stories of missing or murdered women in North America, the media has demonstrated its extensive interest and fascination with instances of missing, harmed, and murdered white women. In contrast, women of color receive significantly less coverage from media outlets, despite women of color experiencing significantly higher rates of violence. Despite Native and Indigenous women’s higher representation of missing and murdered cases in North America, the media’s coverage of these cases is often limited, overlooked, and disregarded. This project examines the differential coverage of missing white woman cases when compared to the coverage surrounding missing Native American and Indigenous women. In addition, this project identifies how media framing behaviors may perpetuate stereotypes and impact the lack of media coverage of MMIW cases and experiences.