Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) claimed “ruthless” fossil fuel extraction sites have a “correlation” with the abductions and murders of indigenous women, though she showed little data to back up her claims.
“Today, I want to discuss part of this crisis that is all too often overlooked, but whose evidence shows that there’s a very meaningful connection here: The correlation between fossil fuel extraction sites and abductions and murders of indigenous women across the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez said during a recently uncovered hearing on March 3 about “The Neglected Epidemic of Missing BIPOC Women and Girls.”
“Why is it that oil, gas and fossil fuel extraction sites have such a high correlation of violence and abduction against Native women?” she asked the witnesses.
Angel Charley, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, did not answer the question with data but with a theory that fossil fuel industry “man camps” cause harm to nearby “native women.”
“We know that when these man camps or temporary establishments are created, that there is an increase in violence and particularly sexual violence against our Native women,” Charley claimed.
“Wow,” Ocasio-Cortez responded.
“Am I right to understand that companies building these oil pipelines are often ruthless in their resistance against protesters and sometimes even encouraging violence against them?” Ocasio-Cortez asked a follow-up question.
“That is correct,” Charley responded.
The data Ocasio-Cortez cited to back up her claim appeared to be the kidnappings and murders in whole states that have oil pipeline projects.
“The ACLU of North Dakota also reported that 411 missing murdered, and indigenous people were kidnaped or murdered in states affiliated with pipeline projects, and that 10% of these cases occurred in counties where the Keystone Pipeline alone is proposed to be built,” she said.