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class="content__text" Thousands gathered Tuesday on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to march in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.⁠ ⁠ It marked the 32nd annual Women's Memorial March, the first of which was held in 1992 in response to the murder of a woman on Powell Street in Vancouver.⁠ ⁠ The event is organized and led by women in the DTES because women — especially Indigenous women, girls, two spirit and trans people — face physical, mental, emotional and spiritual violence every day, organizers say.⁠ ⁠ Indigenous women and girls in B.C. are nearly three times more likely to experience domestic violence, murder, or other violent crimes than non-Indigenous women, according to the province.⁠ ⁠ Amnesty International Canada has said the recent cases of Chelsea Poorman, Tatyanna Harrison and Noelle O'Soup in B.C.'s Lower Mainland highlights the crisis of violence against Indigenous women and girls, along with inadequate support from police.⁠ ⁠ Among those marching in the crowd was Maggy Gisle, a Nisga'a woman who lives in Powell River on the Sunshine Coast.⁠ ⁠ She marched in honour of 64 friends and loved ones who have gone missing or were murdered, she says.⁠ ⁠ "I come down here and I pray and I spend time in prayer remembering each of these women and saying thank you for the time that I have."⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to read more.⁠ ⁠ (Photos by Ben Nelms/CBC; Reporting: Joel Ballard/CBC News) @cbcvancouver #womensmarch #MMIWG2S+ #indigenous #vancouver #downtowneastside #britishcolumbia #cbcnews #cbc

February 15, 2023