Attitudes of Disposability Towards MMIWG on the Highway of Tears

The honors thesis Attitudes of Disposability Towards MMIWG on the Highway of Tears: A CPTED Study (April 2023) by Molly Clare argues that the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls along Highway 16 stems from colonial “attitudes of disposability,” which portray Indigenous women as replaceable and blame them for their own victimization. Using a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) analysis, the study shows that geographic isolation, limited transit, poor lighting, delayed police response, and lack of defensible space create conditions that enable violence. The thesis calls for renewed accountability on the National Inquiry's Calls for Justice and physical safety measures along Highway 16 to protect vulnerable communities.