May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People, known to many as Red Dress Day. It’s a day to remember and fight for justice for the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people across the country.
Red Dress Day started in 2010, inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project. The project is an art installation that uses a series of red dresses to honour and symbolize the lost lives of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people due to violence. Since then, the image of a red dress on a hanger has come to symbolize this issue for many Canadians.
Indigenous women and girls have faced historic oppression and systemic barriers, and these factors remain realities today. As recently as 2018, Statistics Canada found that almost six in 10 Indigenous women have experienced physical assault and almost half have experienced sexual assault – 10-20 per cent higher than non-Indigenous women. But despite the higher likelihood of being assaulted, many instances of abuse against Indigenous women go unreported. Discrimination in law enforcement and the criminal justice system are some of the reasons why the real numbers are likely much higher.
Violence against Indigenous people is a direct result of our country’s traumatic and destructive history of colonialization. Our collective history and the ongoing realities of racism and discrimination impact Indigenous people, families, communities and Canadian society.
In 2016 the federal government created a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, identifying 231 calls for justice and leading to the creation of a national action plan.
We grieve with those who have lost loved ones and stand with families and communities in their fight for justice. We encourage all ONA members to take the time to engage, learn, and reflect on the violence impacting Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.
Marches, memorials, and displays of red dresses in public spaces some of the ways communities raise awareness and commit to action on this day. It's an opportunity for governments, agencies, organizations, industries, and all Canadians to renew our commitment to action to stop violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.
Take Action
- Join the Ontario Federation of Labour in supporting the creation of a Red Dress Alert. The response times to reports of a missing Indigenous woman, girl or Two-Spirit person are far too slow and a Red Dress Alert – like an Amber Alert – would make a difference.
- Send a request to the Minister of Public Safety to implement a Red Dress Alert to notify the public when an Indigenous woman, girl, or Two-Spirit person goes missing. This is a tangible step for the federal government to end the ongoing violence.
- Wear red and post to social media or send your photo to gro.a1746627636no@la1746627636tigid1746627636 so ONA can share it. You can wear a red dress, shirt, pin or any item that is red to bring awareness to the issue.
- Look for Indigenous organizations and groups in your community who are fighting for justice and find out how you can support their work.
Learn More
- National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Vol. 1a and Vol. 1b
- National Family and Survivors Circle
- ONA Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Action Plan
- Native Women’s Association of Canada
