New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed into law a new task force dedicated to helping find BIPOC women and girls who have gone missing.
Announced last week, the task force, known as the Missing BIPOC Women and Girls Task Force, will be composed of nine appointed officials from sectors such as the Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Office of Family and Children’s Services.
Created alongside Girl Vow Mentoring to address the rising rates of missing BIPOC victims in the state, the group will work to eliminate any disparities in the treatment of these cases by identifying any policies or practices that can be put into law.
The task force will also be tasked with investigating the beginnings of the cases, identifying any “major hubs where the abductions may occur.” Their findings and recommendations will be officially presented in hearings in two years.
“Women and girls of color face a systemic disregard of their cases when they go missing, from law enforcement’s delayed response in addressing these cases and the media’s disinterest in promoting the fact that they are missing,” said co-creator of the bill, Assemblymember Karines Reyes, in a statement. “This new law will establish a task force to fully understand the gaps that exist in our state’s response in these cases, allow us to understand best practices and ensure that more of these cases are resolved. If followed through, we can return more women and girls of color to their families and provide them with closure.”
We fought hard to establish and pass this legislation. Thank you @govhochul @SenatorLeaWebb @KarinesReyes87 @Biaggi4NY for being the champion for our work. #findmewhenimmissingnotmurderedhttps://t.co/6E6il3R0w2
— GirlVow Mentoring (@GirlVowMentor) December 24, 2023
Although they make up approximately seven percent of the national population, Black women continue to go missing at high rates across the U.S. According to the 2022 MCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics report by the F.B.I., Black women alone made up 18% of all missing persons cases as there were 97,000 Black women reported missing last year.
Despite going missing at alarmingly high rates, Black women often don’t have their stories told as the media fails to cover their cases.
Coined by journalist Gwen Ifill as the “missing white syndrome,” the disparity in coverage is driven by misogyny and racism, according to professionals.
A variety of non-profits exist to draw attention to the stories of missing Black women, such as the Black and Missing Foundation.
Founded by Dericca Wilson and Natalie Wilson, the Black & Missing Foundation is dedicated to providing tools and resources to families of missing persons, ensuring that equal attention is given to missing Black Americans.
Other nonprofits include the From The Bottom Up Foundation.
