Every 30 Seconds

During the time of September 11th, 2021, popular Youtuber, Gabby Petito was reported missing. The case would soon bring attention to the many other missing people in the United States.  According to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), approximately 268,884 girls & women were reported missing during the year of 2020 itself in the United States, and that is out of the 540,000 people that are proclaimed missing per year.

However, NPR News states that within the total percentage of missing women, white women make up around one third of the group, while the percentage for missing black women is at thirty-five.

While the shocking case of famous youtuber; Gabby Peteto has been making its way through the internet these past few months, it has caught many peoples eye in such little time. The case in which consisted of verbal and emotional domestic abuse from her fiance, Brian Laundie continued making major headlines in the media, from Fox News, to popular social media app, TikTok. But what about the case of 19-year-old Miya Marcano; the horrifying case about a college student who was smothered to death by the maintenance man of the same apartment complex in which Marcano lived in. Two cases that are so similar, yet so different in the way they are presented to the outside world.

As social media timelines on all platforms continued to show nothing but the case on Petito, the case of many others, including Marcanos, were placed on the blindside. Of course nothing is wrong with letting her story be heard, but if the whole point is to spread awareness when one goes missing, it would make more sense for all cases to get an equal amount of recognition. Not just white women. Not just people high in the media, or who are labeled as “higher class”. Everyone.  To sum things up, this is called Missing White Woman Syndrome. When the media is mainly focused on the disappearance of white women, making major headlines, and grabbing everyone’s attention, while indigious people are making the corner image of the paper and small appearances on mobile apps near the ad section of games.

I came across the story of Marcano on the social media platform Twitter around the time of late September, 2021. It was not only until her death till her name began to make headline titles in the media, while Petito’s story has been the talk of the year from start to finish. If the system we live in keeps treating peoples lives like we have nine lives, we as a society will begin to degrade, causing a bigger downfall in lack of help towards missing indegnouse people.

On the darker side of both of these cases, both women had been experiencing emotional and physical, domestic abuse until the time of their death. As domestic violence awareness month passes (October), now seems like a reasonable time to really take action mentally and physically, on what domestic violence really is; in friendships, relationships, online, in person, to a friend, anywhere.

During the case of Marcano, officials found she was being stalked by the maintenance man of her apartment complex; Armando Manuel Caballero. As Caballero formed a romantic interest in the college student, he was furiated when turned away, so he took the opportunity he had, and waited in her apartment till she arrived. For Petito’s case, her fiance at the time was reported to have been physically abusing her while on a road trip. Officials say Laundrie showed many signs of domestic abuse.

According to National Statistics, almost 20 people per minute are physically abused by their partner in the United States; men and women. On a regular basis, over 200,000 phone calls are made to domestic violence hotlines nationwide. Stalking: 1.5 million men are stalked in their lifetime, and 19.3 million women are as well. No matter the difference in number, it is still occuring. Homicide: 20% of victims murdered by not only an intimate partner, but even friends, family, or even law enforcement. One third of women are actually killed by their intimate partner!

Thanks to social media, a viral story about a young 16 year old girl whose life was saved, all because of a hand signal began to make people’s timelines on popular social media app; TikTok. A hand gesture that lets others know they are in distress and in need of help. Inside Edition helps explain this helpful one fluid movement to many others around the world and here is how that works; begin by placing your hand up, palm out and tuck your thumb in, and close your hand.  – See images below