They won't count, but we will: Tracking Indigenous disappearance in Australia

A new international partnership between The Disappeared Project, Locate International and Forensic Human Identification Co. will build the first database and DNA programme on Indigenous disappearance.

Two years ago, the first federal inquiry into the crisis of ‘missing and murdered’ Indigenous women and girls was tabled in Parliament. One of its terms of reference was to establish how many Indigenous women and girls had been missing, murdered, or had died in suspicious circumstances.

Aboriginal journalists had previously attempted to count. For example, an ABC Four Corners report called How Many More? had found 315 First Nations women had been disappeared since 2000. The need to count was underscored by international experience, where in Canada and Mexico, Aboriginal and feminist groups had used datasets to call for action and attention to a silenced crisis of feminicide*.

But Australia still refused to count.

The Australian inquiry had found that state and territories were inconsistent on collecting data on Indigenous status, which “mask the true extent of the disappearances”. Despite that, it acknowledged that Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately disappeared or murdered.

But when the inquiry handed down its recommendations, the necessity to collect data was ‘missing’; instead, the recommendations called on governments to co-design ways to remember and recognise First Nations women and children who are disappeared, and also, for the state and territories to review police practices on the issue.

Since then, the crisis of disappeared Indigenous women and children, and also Indigenous men, has again been silenced, and it has become obvious that relying on the police and government to count and act is not a reliable strategy.

And it’s not just the police.

A couple of years ago, for example, I applied for an Australian Research Council grant to help build an Indigenous feminicide database. It was rejected, with one anonymous reviewer stating that there had already been enough research into the issue.

It was shocking because the crisis of disappearance in this country is under-researched and families are often left with few resources to support them in fighting for justice for their loved ones.

That’s why, on National Missing Persons Week, my colleagues and I at The Disappeared Project have launched a landmark international partnership to build an independent National Database and DNA programme for disappeared First Nations people.

The project will be independent of government and police.

It will be the first of its type in this country and will help record, search and link cases to support families in their fight for justice.

Locate International is one of the largest missing persons organisations in the world, and will be assisting The Disappeared Project in building a centralised database, utilising its secure QUEST database.

In addition, Forensic Human Identification Co., the nation’s first independent DNA lab run by Dr Josie Ward, will be partnering on the project. It will help establish a culturally specific and secure DNA collection programme to develop a dedicated database for DNA relatives.

“This initiative establishes critical new infrastructure to improve investigative capabilities and identification outcomes for unresolved cases of unidentified and disappeared First Nations people. Together, we are integrating a centralised case database, dedicated DNA program and community capacity building aligned with Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles,” Dr Jodie Ward said.

Co-founder of the Disappeared Project, Martin Hodgson said the collaboration will be critical to helping families find answers for their disappeared loved ones.

“For too long, families of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal women and children have been left completely unsupported in their pursuit of truth and justice.

For The Disappeared Project, partnering with Dr Ward at Forensic Human Identification Co. will ensure the families we support have access to the most advanced and innovative forensic human identification solutions. This partnership will give families the best possible chance of finding the answers they so desperately need and deserve.”

“Partnering with both Forensic Human Identification Co. and Locate International will now ensure First Nations families have access to the world’s leading experts and the latest technology.

It will guarantee that the world’s oldest living culture does not continue to be left behind in their fight to find their missed loved ones.”