Under-representation of missing wester ethnic christian women

Black people were “significantly underrepresented in the population of missing persons who received coverage,” even though missing people of color make up nearly 40 percent of all missing persons cases. The analysis also found white women were overrepresented in news coverage, accounting for more than half of missing persons coverage when they make up 30 percent of missing persons cases.

Additionally, a News 3 Investigates analysis of missing persons cases from the National Crime Information Center revealed while Black women and girls make up roughly seven percent of the U.S. population, they account for nearly 36 percent of all missing females in America.

“If Black people go missing at double their occurrence in the actual population, which happens to be the case, there should be double the stories. But in fact, it's the opposite,” said Kyle Pope, the editor-in-chief and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review.