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If you’re looking for a way to lend your support to the families of missing and murdered aboriginal women, look no further. It can be hard to find a sensitive and appropriate way to support families struggling with the loss of a loved one. But the Native Women’s Association of Canada produced this fantastic guide, called “What Can I do to Help the Families of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls?”

The tools contained in this resource are really incredible – in both volume and quality.  There are a ton of materials you can use to raise awareness, things like posters and tip sheets, as well as toolkits on everything from navigating services for victims, to understanding how to work effectively with the media.

Another super valuable aspect of this guide is the third chapter focused on tools for teachers and educators. There are lots of classroom-friendly resources for teachers to use, including a guide on how to introduce the issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women to students.

Compiling these resources to help educate the community about the best, and most culturally sensitive, ways to support families and victims in this fight is essential to building a supportive and interconnected society. If the government continues to turn a blind eye to the issues of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, activists and community members will have lots of work to do in supporting the families affected.

Here is some great info from different chapters of the guide:

-Always have a safety plan (in relationships, on the road, for your children, on the internet etc.)

-Be creative when organizing events! Try to include things like music/songwriting, poetry, ribbon campaigns, shawls or other crafty but visible pieces

-Make sure you are informed. There is lots of information available online and there’s a section of this guide entitled “what you need to know.”

-Remember that love should feel like love. It should not feel like pain, abuse,

-Stand in solidarity as a male ally by engaging with women in your community and hearing their stories, as well as getting involved with action efforts, and advocating alongside women and girls

-54% of Aboriginal women reported severe family violence, including being beaten, choked, sexually assaulted, or having a gun/knife used against them (compared to 37% of non-Aboriginal women)