Homicide is the third leading cause of death of Native American women.

Indigenous women are murdered and sexually assaulted at a rate 10 times higher than other ethnicities,

with a majority of them committed by non-native people on native owned land.

85% of native women experience violence in their lifetime.

These numbers are a staggering reality for indigenous women across North America.

According to a study released this year 2020,

a majority of homicide cases and disappearances of indigenous women in the US and Canada

go cold.

Years and decades rolling by without answers for the families who mourn the loss of

their daughters, sisters, mothers, aunts, and friends. The land we now call Maine is not immune to this epidemic.

This is the cold case of Virginia Sioux Picto Noise. I'm Kylie Lowe and this is Dark Down East.

This story deals with domestic violence

hotline at 1,800,

hotline at 1,800, 799, 723. You can also call Strong Hearts Native Helpline at 1844 7 Native

Native. That's 1.762-883.

It is a domestic dating and sexual violence

helpline for American Indians and Alaska natives,

offering culturally appropriate support and advocacy daily

from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central.

The helpline is anonymous and confidential.

Virginia Sue, picked two noise, sat in her hospital room at Eastern Maine Medical Center, waiting. She replayed the night's events over again in her head as

the bruise above her eye began to throb. All at once, Virginia was scared, scared for what would happen to her when she stepped out of the safety of the hospital.

...