The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI) Circles of Healing (COH) Program works to bring awareness and to support victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Human Trafficking.
The month of May includes Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Day (observed Nationally on May 5th). This day is to recognize high rates of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, boys, and men. Cases of missing and murdered indigenous people are often underreported and untracked. One in three Native American women may experience violence in their lifetime, while 1 in 4 Native American men may experience violence in theirs. Indigenous Men and Women both had the second highest rate of murder in the United States in 2020. In 2016, there were 5,712 reported missing indigenous people in the United States.
The CTCLUSI COH team will be holding an event on the Coos Bay Boardwalk on Saturday, May 10, 2025 to raise awareness of this topic. This event is open to the community. The Tribe will be holding space for participants would like to hold signs along Highway 101 to help raise awareness.
The COH team will be hosting the event at the Coos Bay Boardwalk from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Food, raffles, and space along the boardwalk for signs to raise awareness about MMIP will be available. Participants are asked to wear the color RED to also help bring awareness to MMIP. In many Indigenous cultures, the color red is believed to be a color that the ancestors, spirits of the deceased can see. Wearing red is a way to show solidarity and raise awareness about the MMIP crisis.
If you or a loved one are experiencing or have experienced Sexual Assault, please reach out to the Circles of Healing team. We are here to help. To reach a confidential Advocate, call 541-294-8624 or 541-808-8152.
National help is also available through the StrongHearts Native Helpline. StrongHearts Native Helpline 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483) is a safe, anonymous, and confidential domestic and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, offering support and advocacy. Learn more at https://strongheartshelpline.org/
