May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people (MMIWG2S), also known as “Red Dress Day,” coined by Métis artist Jaime Black as “an aesthetic response to this critical national issue.” The ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people that we are facing is a direct result of colonization. In Canada, more than six in ten (63%) Indigenous women have experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime. The impact of these disproportionately high rates of violence is felt in all areas of life. The effects on health and wellness include inequitable access and treatment in health care and underrepresentation in health research.
On Red Dress Day, and every day, we honor the lives of MMIWG2S by raising awareness of this ongoing national tragedy, and we hold in our thoughts the families and communities who carry the weight and live with the grief of losing loved ones.
To raise awareness and pay tribute on this day, wear red, inform yourself about MMIWG2S, and participate in your local community events to commemorate this day.
If you, or someone you know is experiencing signs of distress, don’t hesitate to reach out to services available 24/7/365:
- Hope for Wellness Help Line (Indigenous centred): 1-855-242-3310
- Crisis Services Canada: (Canada-wide) 9-8-8
- National Family and Survivors Circle: 1-844-413-6649
- The Kuu-us Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis services through the numbers below
- Adults/Elders (250-723-4050)
- Child/Youth (250-723-2040)
- Toll free (1-800-588-8717)
- Métis Line (1-833-638-4722)
Info and image sources:
– https://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/academic-integrity/indigenous-initiatives/national-mmiwg-awareness
– https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52964.html
– https://globalnews.ca/news/9670681/peterborough-national-red-dress-day/
