The lack of media coverage for the missing indigenous women

This post was edited on 10/26/2021 by pi$cesfairy.

If you consume any media, I am sure the name ‘Gabby Petito’ is not unfamiliar to you. Her name has been plastered over social media and news outlets for weeks. The case of this beautiful, missing 22-year-old girl who just wanted to travel and explore has touched many. For those not familiar with this case, here’s a quick recap;

Gabby Petito was a ‘van life’ vlogger who was reported missing on September 11th, 2021. Her fiancé, Brian Laundrie was accompanying her across the country for four months of camping in national parks. They were documenting their travels on Instagram and Youtube and gained a small following of people keeping up with their journey.

When in Moab, Utah, a 911 call was placed by someone who had reported seeing a confrontation between the young couple. The caller claimed he saw Laundrie physically hit Petito. When the police arrived, the bodycam footage showed us Petito visibly crying and upset.

On September 1st, Brian returned home to their shared house without Gabby. She was later reported missing on the 11th of September, a week or so after Brian’s return. A few days after, Brian Laundrie is named a person of interest for refusing to cooperate with the police department.

On September 21s, Gabby’s remains were found in Wyoming and her death was ruled a homicide. The FBI is now on the case to search for Laundrie. He was reported missing by his family after three days on September 17th. There is still uncertainty with Brian’s role and whereabouts.

This case gained nationwide attention as people started to sleuth on the internet for clues, protest outside the Laundrie’s family home, and raise awareness for Gabby’s case. The citizen participation in finding and honoring her was great. However, it is not consistent with similar cases that the country sees every year. Gabby’s case is like many that happen every week. But why does Gabby’s case get so much more attention as opposed to Indigenous women? This phenomenon was explained when journalist Gwen Ifill dubbed the term ‘missing white women syndrome’. This ‘syndrome’ is often when the victims are young, attractive white women.

Gabby’s case when the victim is a conventionally attractive white woman, often gains publicity, while disappearances of women of color are ignored. Journalist, Mara Schiavocampo said, “This actually has real implications for women of color. Why? This makes them less safe because perpetrators, predators, know that if you want to get away with murder, you seek the victim that no one is going to look for.”

As a white woman, it is difficult to understand the added fear indigenous women must feel. The lack of representation in the media for Indigenous women proves there is a hierarchy in this country. A hierarchy that must be dissolved.

It is frustrating to those who feel that their loved ones who go missing don’t stand the same chance as women like Petito of being found or nationally investigated. Furthermore, the media portrayal of indigenous victims is often likely to have negative character framing.  The coverage usually contains graphic language and focuses on the crime itself, instead of anything about the victim and their life.  This portrayal can deter people from reporting their loved ones to the media or police department out of fear of negative attention.

Based on a state report, in Wyoming, where Petito’s body was found, only 18% of indigenous female homicide victims get newspaper coverage, as opposed to 51% for white victims. According to the report, between 2011 and September 2020, more than 400 indigenous women have gone missing. Native women are murdered at rates 10 times higher than the national average. It is the third-leading cause of death among indigenous women.

“It’s kind of heart-wrenching, when we look at a white woman who goes missing and is able to get so much immediate attention,” said Lynnette Grey Bull.  She is Northern Arapaho and is a leading advocate for improving Wyoming’s response to missing indigenous women. “It should be the same, if an African American person goes missing, or a Hispanic person goes missing, a Native American… we should have the same type of equal efforts that are being done in these cases”.

According to U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, investigations into Native American victims have been underfunded for decades.  Many of these cases of missing persons go unsolved, or even unaddressed.

Women like Lynnette Grey Bull and Deb Haaland hope to make a difference for the women who do not get the same coverage or investigation efforts. Their goal is to protect Native women and POC in general.

If people continue to bring awareness to the lack of media coverage for missing indigenous women, we can hope to bridge the gap and give a fighting chance to those in danger.