Demonstration supports trafficking victims — PHOTOS

By Jeff Burbank Las Vegas Review-Journal

1 year ago

Members of the Native community and allies gather in solidarity as the numbers of abused indige ... — Members of the Native community and allies gather in solidarity as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Johnnie Bobb, chief of the Western Shoshone National Council, performs a drum song as members of the Native community and allies gather in solidarity as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Members of the Native community and allies participate in a round dance as they gather in solidarity for the numbers of abused indigenous women continuing to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. Johnnie Bobb, chief of the Western Shoshone National Council, provided the drum song. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Members of the Native community and allies gather in solidarity as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues yet to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

One of many signs on display as members of the Native community and allies gather as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues yes to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

A drum song is performed as members of the Native community and allies gather in solidarity as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Local Paiute tribal member fawn Douglas passes around a smudge stick as others of the Native community and allies gather in solidarity as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues yet to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Signs are lain about as members of the Native community and allies gather as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues yes to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Members of the Native community and allies gather in support as the numbers of abused indigenous women continues yes to rise during an MMIW event at PLAN Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

About 50 people demonstrated Saturday outside the office of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, at 2330 Paseo Del Prado in Las Vegas, to bring attention to the unusually high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and murder suffered by female members of Indigenous groups throughout the country.

There are about 55,000 Indigenous people from American tribes nationwide who live in Clark County, according to Taylor Patterson, a local Paiute tribe member and an organizer of the event.

Patterson said the rally was only tangentially related to news about 46-year-old Nathan Chasing Horse, an Indigenous man charged this month with human trafficking and sexually assaulting women and girls while operating a cult. Chasing Horse’s name was purposefully not mentioned at the rally because organizers wanted the focus to be on those in the community who are at risk of abuse, she said.