Republican State Representatives Walt Blackman and Teresa Martinez are urging immediate action to address the high rates of violence against Native American and Alaska Native communities. They have scheduled a news conference for May 20 at 9:00 a.m. at the State Capitol Rose Garden.
Reports from the CDC and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicate that Native women and girls face some of the highest rates of sexual violence, homicide, and trafficking in the United States. Native men also experience elevated rates of violent death. In 2016, over 5,700 Native women and girls were reported missing, but only 116 were recorded in the federal NamUs database.
“This isn’t just about numbers—these are lives lost and families shattered,” said Representative Blackman, Chairman of the House Government Committee. “We need our congressional delegation, state leaders, and federal agencies to act. Too many cases are ignored, misclassified, or left unsolved. I represent a district bordering the Navajo Nation, where many families continue to wait for justice.”
Representative Martinez emphasized the need for resources: “People in these communities need help—investigators, forensic tools, trained personnel, and victim services. Words are not enough. We need action,” she said. “Our Native communities have waited long enough. This is a matter of justice. The time to act is now.”
A GAO report from 2017 found that nearly 60% of tribal law enforcement agencies lack necessary resources and training to investigate trafficking and violent crime. Violence in some tribal areas is estimated to be up to ten times higher than the national average.
Representatives Blackman and Martinez are advocating for increased data collection, improved coordination between agencies, more funding for tribal law enforcement, and targeted task forces.
The public and media are encouraged to attend the upcoming news conference.
Information from this article can be found here.
