JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Katrina Christiansen raised significant concerns about the alarming rate of missing and murdered Native American women and children in North Dakota. According to Christiansen, Indigenous women and children are impacted by violence at ten times the national average, with little being done to address this devastating epidemic.

Christiansen emphasized the severity of the issue, stating, “Even with growing awareness of the outsized rate of violence against Indigenous women and girls, little has been done to protect them at the federal level.” She pointed out the complex jurisdictional barriers between native nations and state lands, leaving Native Americans with limited legal options to pursue justice.

This year, legislation known as the Not Invisible Act was introduced in Congress, aiming to tackle the crisis by prioritizing Indigenous voices in addressing the problems their communities face. The act is seen as a critical step toward ensuring safety and justice for Native American families affected by this violence.

“I hope that the election will result in me being in a position of power so that I can lend my support to the Not Invisible Act,” Christiansen said. She called on her fellow North Dakotans and political leaders to work together to find solutions, regardless of party affiliation. “Native American people are North Dakotan people, and they deserve far better from their community.”