H.A.V.E.N. Update
By Cathleen Osborne-Gowey (Program Admin – Crime Victim Advocate) 918.554.2836 or COsbornegowey@estoo.net
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Hello all –
May 5th is National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls throughout the nation. I’ve been asked several times over the years, is this really a problem in Oklahoma? Which is a fair question. When we think of MMIW we think of Canada or states that border Canada. We don’t often think of our own small towns. However, “Oklahoma is one of the top states with the highest number of missing and murdered Indigenous people cases”. It’s happening in every state and in every town – even our own. Let’s read this article reported by Katie Arata on January 3rd of this year.
Article by: Katie Arata
Justice Served for Oklahoma Native Family, Sheds Light on Alarming MMIW Issue
https://okcfox.com/news/local/justice-served-for-oklahoma-native-family-sheds-light-on-alarming-mmiw-issue-del-city-oklahoma-city-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-people-latoka-leetka-woods-aussie-paschal-devonta-williams-life-in-prison-oklahoma-county
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma is one of the top states with the highest number of missing and murdered Indigenous people cases, and on Tuesday, one Native American family received justice but there are still many unsolved cases.
According to an MMIW report from 2018- Oklahoma City was among the top ten cities in the country with the highest number of missing and murdered indigenous women cases that were not in law enforcement records, but lawmakers in the state have been working to address it.
This week a Del City family got justice, nearly three years after two of their loved ones were murdered by Devonta Williams.
In March of 2021 Williams shot his girlfriend Lakota Woods in the head, and seconds later shot and killed her uncle, Aussie Paschal. Williams received a life sentence without the possibility of parole for each of his murder charges,
“The family is still feeling heartbroken but at the end of the day they feel optimistic about Lakota and Aussie receiving justice,” said President of the MMIW Eastern Oklahoma Chapter, Abbie Harjochee.
“I don’t think the chapter will ever close you know it’s always got to be there,” said Lakota’s brother, Robert Fixico, “That was my little sister, you know, my uncle was Aussie, you know, so I don’t think it’ll ever close.”
The family members wearing red to court, for the missing and murdered indigenous women movement.
According to federal data, indigenous women experience some of the highest rates of violence and murder, the MMIW group saying this case is bringing awareness to those alarming statistics,
“It also brings a light to the statistics on domestic violence against our native women and our men and our children,” Harjochee said, “85% of our women are abused by the hands of their abuser and the outcome is there’s no in between the outcome. It’s either life or death, and this is what happened because of domestic (violence).”
Lawmakers in Oklahoma have been working to change the statistics, pushing for laws like The Not Invisible Act that became law in 2020, its goal to improve coordination between several agencies that deal with violence against Native Americans.
For more information, please reach out to Haven to speak with an advocate.
Haven Office Hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday
HAVEN Does NOT provide 24- hour service. After hours please call:
StrongHearts Native Helpline https://strongheartshelpline 1-844-762-8483 (call or text) or Community Crisis Center, Miami, OK 1-800-400-0883
StrongHearts and Community Crisis Center have 24 hour service
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