Today is Red Dress Day. A National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ People (MMIWG2S+) in Canada.
It’s a day that honors victims of, and raises awareness about, the disproportionate violence against Indigenous communities.
The numbers speak to the urgency of this issue: more than 6 in 10, or 63% of Indigenous women in Canada have experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime.
The REDress Project began in 2010 when Métis artist Jaime Black used the strong symbol of red dresses to represent missing and murdered women. On this day many people wear red, or hang red dresses on trees, windows, and porches to honor victims.
To find out more:
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
MMIWG2S Calls for Justice [ PDF (643 KB) – external link ]
