The Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Surviving Sexual Assault

On a late night in North Philadelphia in August 1995, Melody Madison walked home when a man approached her and offered her 10 dollars for sex. When she refused, the bar patron instantly attacked her, knocking out four teeth before raping her on a park bench. The police classified the crime as rape and requested further investigation. There were all sources of evidence; physical markers on her body proved nonconsensual; she gave a detailed description of her assailant and even gave them a pair of shorts he had left behind. He must have been convicted, mustn’t he? No, the case was closed without prosecution because the sex crime detectives claimed that they could not reach Madison for a follow-up interview.

No, this is not fiction. Black women have historically been labeled as less innocent, more adult-like, and more knowledgeable about sex than white women. During slavery in the U.S, slave owners justified the rape of black women and girls by blaming victims for their rapacious sexual desires. These disturbing ancient myths had led to the victimization and dehumanization of Black women then and now. This has enabled our society to rarely see women of color as victims of sexual assault, making them more reluctant to speak up about their abuse. 

35% of Black women in the U.S. experience sexual violence during their lifetime; these are percentages of Black women who report or disclose their sexual assault. In reality, for every Black woman who reports rape, at least 15 Black women do not. While these statistics reveal a horrible truth for women victims in Black communities, their recovery and healing journey is no different. To deal with the trauma of sexual abuse, they first have to deal with the interlocking experience of intergenerational trauma, poverty, racism, and sexism. The silence of U.S. institutions and their failure to make race-based traumas invisible have enabled victim-blaming and sexualized violence against ethnic and racial minorities in our society. Black women and women in other minority groups report lower rates and longer terms for recovery, as they suffer from systematic and routine objectification. Paired with exoticization and devaluation, you can see why the reported numbers are so low. 

The history of sexual assault in our country is a history of racism and sexism intertwined. Women of color are constantly portrayed within racial stereotypes in popular media, and Black men are portrayed as sexually voracious who go after innocent white women. Racial Stereotypes in popular media reinforce the culture around black-on-white stranger rape at the expense of intraracial acquaintance rape, which is the most common.

A lawyer, activist, and volunteer attorney, Rebecca Berry, uses her own experience with sexual abuse to empower others who have been through a similar experience. ERA’s ENOUGH program, where she works, is one of the only pro bono programs that offer free legal help to survivors of sexual assault.

Stories like this inspire us for a better future for all women of color. The work and bravery of countless women led to the foundation of many survivors’ support centers and advocacy. Women of color continue to support survivors, educate the community, and dream of a future free of sexual harassment. Each one of us is part of the movement, and every voice is essential.

Written by Rawad Nahhas

Citations:

• Ullman, S. (2016) Sexual Orientation, Race, and Trauma as Predictors of Sexual Assault Recovery. J Fam Viol 31, 913–921. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9793-8

• Rodino-Colocino, M. (2014) #YesAllWomen: Intersectional Mobilization Against Sexual Assault is Radical (Again), Feminist Media Studies, 14:6, 1113-1115, DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2014.975475

• Alvidrez, J., Shumway, M., Morazes, J., & Boccellari, A., (2011) Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Treatment Engagement among Female Sexual Assault Victims, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 20:4, 415-425, DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2011.568997

• Bryant-Davis, T., Chung, H., & Tillman, S. (2009). From the Margins to the Center: Ethnic Minority Women and the Mental Health Effects of Sexual Assault. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 10(4), 330–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838009339755

• Management. (2011, May 9). History of the Movement. Management. https://www.wcsap.org/advocacy/program-management/new-directors/history/history-movement

• Lee, S. (2018, June 19). There Is No #MeToo Without Black Women. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/black-women-metoo-antirape-movement.