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Missing Black women and girls in Chicago: Forum provides way for community, leaders to keep women safe
Black women and girls make up 1/3 of missing person cases in the United States. On Saturday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and State Rep. Robin Kelly held a public forum to talk about the crisis.
CHICAGO - Black women and girls make up more than a third of the missing persons cases in the United States, and on Saturday, Chicago leaders talked about ways to tackle the crisis.
Illinois State Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Chicago) hosted a virtual forum on the need for increased attention to these cases. For example, Chicago police are still looking for Kierra Coles – the pregnant postal worker who went missing in 2018. Despite extensive community attention on her disappearance, and a big reward, she remains missing. Her case is one among many in Chicago that remain unsolved.
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Chicago postal worker Kierra Coles missing for 3 years
Chicago postal worker Kierra Coles has been missing for three years. Friday marked her 29th birthday.
National statistics show that Black women and girls are at a greater risk of interpersonal violence and human trafficking.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot talked about the need to build better relationships between police and victims' families.
"I have pushed and demanded that the police department respond to the incredible need," she said.
Last year, Chicago launched a citywide strategic plan to tackle gender-based violence and human trafficking, including family liaisons within the Chicago Police Department.
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