Amnesty International’s “Stolen Sisters” Report: Martyrdom and Unintended Challenges of Life Narratives

Abstract

This paper examines the efficacy and ethical implications of using life narratives in representing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis  (MMIWG) in Canada, focusing specifically on Amnesty International's 2004 "Stolen Sisters" report. Through a critical analysis informed by Tuck and Yang's theoretical framework on refusal in research and decolonial pedagogy, this study argues that while third-person life narratives can be effective tools for raising awareness, they risk perpetuating harm through unintentional political martyrdom. The paper demonstrates how these narratives, though well-intentioned, can facilitate settler moves to innocence through conscientization, where empathy becomes a substitute for actionable change. Furthermore, the analysis reveals how such representations can lead to revictimization and reduction of Indigenous women to mere symbols of a cause, ultimately undermining genuine decolonial efforts. The research concludes that alternative approaches, particularly first-person narratives and Indigenous kinship-based storytelling methods, may offer more ethical and effective means of representation while avoiding the pitfalls of martyrdom and exploitation. This study contributes to broader discussions about ethical representation in Indigenous studies and advocates for a shift toward more community-centered and consent-based narrative practices.