Red Dress Day Ceremony

May 5^th is the National Day of Awareness in Canada for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. (MMIWG2S) In May 2019, the National Inquiry on MMIWG2S report was released and it concluded that the murder and disappearance of Indigenous Women and Girls is an ongoing genocide.

Statistics tell us that more Native Women go missing and are murdered each year compared to women from all other groups. Native Women are two and a half times more likely to experience violent crimes, and at least two times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault crimes compared to others. 4 out of 5 Native Women have experienced violence. Native Women face murder rates 10 times above the national average. The murder rate for Native Women is about three times more than for non-Indigenous Women. It continues today and it must stop!

Is this not a reason to Stand Up and say No More?

Please stand with us as we encourage all community members to honour this day by attending a Red Dress Day Ceremony near where you live, displaying a Red Dress in your window or front yard, and wearing red. We want to see participation from as many people, homes, and businesses as possible. Post pictures to your social media using hashtags such as #MMIWG, @MMIWG2S, #WhyWeWearRed, and #NoMoreStolenSisters.

We also invite the community to attend the Red Dress Ceremony here with us in Perth at the Indigenous Healing Circle – National Healing Forest Memorial Site at 35 Craig Street, Perth, Ontario. The Lanark Drum Circle will be offering traditional ceremonial songs, and there will be speakers and families of murdered or missing women and girls will be attending.

Supported by the Lanark County Neighbours for Truth and Reconciliation.

You can connect with the MMIWGTS+ support line at 1-844-413-6649. This line is available free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We need to continue to bring awareness to the ongoing tragedy of this issue because the rate of disappearance and murders of Native People, particularly Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People goes virtually unnoticed until we decide to:

Stand Up and Make Change and Protect Women and Girls.