Examining the intersection of race and sexual violence

In honor of Black History Month, Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands (STSM) has been working to spotlight and celebrate Black women who are deeply connected to the work we do: supporting and advocating for survivors of sexual assault and educating the community to prevent sexual violence. The movement to end rape and sexual assault has progressed to where it is today due the work of Black women who have laid a groundwork of advocacy to fight against injustice. These women bravely leveraged their voices to seek out and create change, and their continued impact influences STSM’s work in our community.

Black women have faced systemic injustice, racism that is embedded as normal practice within society, that is rooted deeply in the American history of chattel slavery. As Susan Brownmiller states in her work, “Against Our Will,” “concepts of hierarchy, slavery and private property flowed from, and could only be predicated upon, the initial subjugation of women”.1 Due to slavery, Black women were viewed as property, had no rights, and experienced continued abuse where rape was commonplace and not considered a crime.

Amid these generations of systemic racism and injustice, there began the work of Black women who fought for change. During the beginning of the women’s movement, Sojourner Truth connected the issue of race and women at the 1851 Women’s Right’s Conference. She spoke about Black oppression and how it overlapped with women’s oppression in her famous speech, “Ain’t I a Woman.” Her words brought these critical matters to light and challenged the lack of concern by many white women in attendance of the issues Black women faced.

In 1866, two Black women testified before Congress after they were raped by a white mob. Lucy Smith and Frances Thompson were some of the first women to break the silence around rape, and their testimony created a spark that laid a foundation for the anti-rape movement of the 20th century.

In the 1870’s, Ida B. Wells held leadership roles in many anti-lynching campaigns and spoke out in the face of hatred and violence. Her work, alongside others, led to the formation of the Black Women’s Club movement in the late 1890’s, and set the foundation for the establishment of several national organizations including the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

During the Jim Crow Era, Recy Taylor was brutally raped and beaten by a group of white men after walking home from church in 1944. Despite others urging her to stay silent, she spoke up about her rape, demanding her case be prosecuted and perpetrators held accountable.

Rosa Parks, years before her refusal to give up her seat on a bus, was working for the NAACP and became Taylor’s advocate. Parks, and others working on the case, led a national campaign against sexual assaults on Black women. She founded the “Committee for Equal Justice for Mrs. Recy Taylor,” which brought national awareness to Taylor’s case and this systemic issue. Although the case was not won in their favor, Taylor’s steadfastness against injustice, sexual violence, and racism, as well as Rosa’s work with her case, has created a lasting impact. Their collective work has inspired many Black women to speak out after assaults, brought national awareness to the rape crisis movement, and demonstrated the need for systemic change.

Most notably, the anti-rape movement took storm in 2017 when Tawana Burke’s “Me Too” hashtag went viral. What began as Burke’s mission to create a way for young women of color to share their truths and to empower empathy became a tool that encouraged survivors of sexual assault to come forward, seek healing, and find a community of solidarity. In just one year, this hashtag of “Me Too” was cited more than 19 million times and has helped to create a global conversation around the issue of sexual violence.

Today, our work in the anti-rape field is informed, inspired, and built upon these Black women and their relentless pursuit of justice and change. Not to negate their significant progress; however, their work and ours in not finished. Today we still see that:

– For every Black woman who reports rape, at least 15 Black women do not report.

– One in four Black girls will be sexually abused before the age of 18.

– One in five Black women are survivors of rape.

– Forty to sixty percent of Black women report being subjected to coercive sexual contact by age 18.

– 40% of sex trafficking victims were identified as Black women.

Our history reflects that for too long we have and often continue to view women, especially Black women, as property, less than, and with a disregard for consent, perpetuating the issue of rape culture and sexual violence.

At STSM, we work to push back against rape culture and to support all survivors through services such as legal advocacy, crisis services, education, counseling, and volunteer opportunities. We acknowledge that our country’s history of racism and systemic injustice impacts individuals in the Black community and can create barriers to seeking services. We can see through these statistics, that there is a continued high rate at which Black women and girls experience sexual violence and the systemic issues surrounding them. Our work starts by believing survivors. We also believe we play a role in creating a country where systems with the power to propel or to oppress operate justly. STSM is committed to creating an environment where all community members’ similarities and differences are valued and respected, diverse thoughts are embraced, and challenges experienced by different groups are acknowledged.

We cannot do this important work alone, so we hope you’ll support our ongoing Walk A Mile fundraiser that is taking place virtually now through the end of April. Donations from the community are critical to funding the many services we provide to survivors and their families. By supporting STSM, you can help make our vision a reality. Together, we can foster an environment free of sexual violence.