There’s a Crisis of Disappearing Domestic Violence Victims, and We Must End It

Black women, in particular, experience disproportionately high rates of intimate partner violence. A 2020 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that more than 45% of Black women have experienced some form of physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. For Latina women, the rate is 37.1%, and Indigenous women experience even higher rates of violence at 55.5%. Moreover, Black women in abusive relationships three times more likely being killed by their partners rather than white women.

Domestic violence is more than a personal issue; this is a public health crisis, and for many women of color, this may herald their disappearance.

In cases where domestic violence exists, victims are often isolated from support networks, which can make it easier for them to disappear without causing immediate concern.

Therefore, understanding the intersection between domestic violence and missing person crises is crucial to effectively addressing both issues.

Under-Reporting and Media Neglect

The invisibility of black people in the media is not a new phenomenon, but it is especially evident when it comes to missing persons cases.

When a white woman goes missing, her case is more likely to receive widespread media coverage; This phenomenon is called “Missing White Woman Syndrome”. Meanwhile, the disappearances of Black and Brown women are often overlooked, leading to inconsistency in how these cases are handled and the amount of attention they receive.

Take Gabby Petito, a 23-year-old white woman who was kidnapped and tragically killed by her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in 2021. His case received widespread coverage in the national media. Photos and videos of his face spread across social media platforms and were picked up by 24-hour news cycles; This led to millions of people across the country following updates from law enforcement agencies investigating her disappearance.

There is a clear and disturbing disparity when compared to Akia Eggleston, the young black woman from Baltimore who went missing in 2017. The 22-year-old woman was eight months pregnant when she disappeared shortly before her baby shower. Her body and the remains of her unborn child have not yet been found. This is a case of incredible gravity and seriousness, enough to garner national media coverage. However, it did not even attract the attention of local media outlets.

But BAMFI’s intervention ensured that the Eggleston case did not go unnoticed. Thanks to persistent work with the Baltimore community, law enforcement agencies, and national media, visibility and awareness of Eggleston’s disappearance has greatly increased. But it still wasn’t enough to bring him home. Eggleston’s trial came to a tragic end in 2023, when her boyfriend, Michael Robertson, was convicted of the murders of both her and her unborn son.

Both Petito’s and Eggleston’s cases are just two examples that reveal a huge gap in urgency and treatment between the media and law enforcement. This is an imbalance that has real-world consequences. Black people account for nearly 40% of all missing persons cases in the United States, even though they make up only 13% of the population.

Petito’s parents used their platform to highlight this inequality. They advocated for fair and equitable media coverage of cases arising from marginalized communities and emphasized that every missing person, regardless of color or background, deserves the same visibility in the media.

When missing persons cases involving people of color are neglected in the media, resources devoted to finding these people become limited as a result.

The Need for Systemic Change in Law Enforcement

Law enforcement needs to take domestic violence seriously, especially when it comes to women of color.

A study conducted in 2020 by National Library of Medicine It finds that Black and Latina women who experience intimate partner or sexual violence are two to three times more likely to face dismissive reactions or mistreatment from law enforcement when reporting incidents of abuse.

In many cases, law enforcement is slower to act on reports of missing Black women and children, believing them to be “at large” or “involved in criminal activity.” This contributes to a cycle of neglect and invisibility that puts these women at greater risk of harm.

Authorities must investigate these cases with the same urgency as everyone else, and training is critical to supporting appropriate responses and ensuring the safety of all victims.

Adopting mandatory approaches such as early intervention and risk assessments can help police detect potential increases in domestic violence cases before they escalate into potential abductions and murders.

Additionally, police calls for domestic violence situations often only result in a police report or arrest, but officers should use the time and opportunity to refer victims to community resources and support systems.

While nonprofits and domestic violence shelters do important work, they are often underfunded and overstretched. More funding should be allocated to these organizations to help them provide the services survivors need to escape abusive relationships and stay safe.

At the center of both domestic violence and missing person crises are survivors—victims of color who have been failed by the systems that were supposed to protect them. If we are serious about addressing the issue of Black disappearances, we must also take domestic violence seriously. Reporting statistics is not enough; First, we must address the root causes and structural inequalities that leave victims vulnerable.

To break the cycle of violence and disappearance, we must focus on the voices of survivors and invest in the communities most affected by these issues. By doing so, we can begin to address the intersection of domestic violence and the missing persons crisis and work towards a future where every man, woman, and child, regardless of race or background, can live free from violence and fear.

If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence, visit the National Domestic Violence website or call the helpline at 1-800-799-7233. To learn more about domestic violence and missing person crises in Black and Brown communities, check out BAMFI’s “Untold Stories: Black and Lost” podcast: blackandmissingpodcast.com.