A Look Back at 2007
3:30 PM PST, December 7, 2007
It's hard to believe that 2007 is almost over. A lot has happened this year. For me, the highlight is the increasing activism of women of color. Sisters are out front and center and they are behind the scenes. We are growing more empowered by the day. On October 31, a blog spearheaded the grassroots WEAR RED campaign in the effort to stop the violence. November 25, designated as the International Day Against Violence Against Women, kicked off 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. A South African sister named Sokari has collected lots of good info on happenings on her blog. The 2006 case of a Black woman who accused members of Duke University's lacrosse team of rape was never adequately covered by the media--no surprise there. In June of this year, prosecutor Mike Nifong was disbarred, having been accused of mishandling the case. It's been difficult to get a sense of the fallout, particularly it's impact on Black women in North Carolina. But at least one thoughtful person, Tim Wise, tried to analyze it from a balanced perspective. What's clear is that we need intelligent, informed people framing discussions about violence against women of color, in the media, in government, in nonprofit organizations and at the community level, so that out best interests are consistently made top priority. The tragedies in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Charleston, W.Va., (see Sept. 15 post below) were such outrageous cases of violence against women, they did get some media coverage. In both cases, women of color are on the ground working to support these survivors. They are experiencing some challenges coming from within the Black community, as well as White-controlled media and other institutions. Ultimately, I believe they will succeed in pushing violence against women to the forefront as a public health issue that must be addressed, on our terms, in 2008 and beyond. Power to the sisters!
The U.S. Military: Not Safe for Women
5:37 PM PDT, October 4, 2007, updated at 1:55 PM PDT, October 5, 2007
U.S. soldiers rape U.S. soldiers. Frequently. With no repercussions. Acquaintance rape. Gang rape. You name it. If you are a woman in the military, the soldiers you are supposed to work with toward a common goal (in the case of this colossal mistake of a war, I use goal very lightly), the soldiers you are helping to protect and who are supposed to help protect you, may also be rapists who will never be held accountable. For a woman in the military, her worst enemy may be her fellow soldier. In a series on women in combat, today NPR reported on the rise of reports of rape. According to the piece, Veterans Administration studies have shown that as many as 28 percent of women in the military--more than one-fourth--experience sexual assault. A year ago, NOW reported on rapes perpetrated by the U.S. military against Iraqis and American soldiers. According to the Miles Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing services to victims of violence associated with the military, over the past five years nearly 1,000 reports of rape have been made by soldiers in Central Command Area of Responsibility of which Afghanistan and Iraq are a part. We are now witnessing a culture of violence proliferating within its own ranks, devouring its own people. What is it going to take to change what is essentially an institutionalized, punishment-free code of conduct? Whatever victimization a soldier has experienced, my message is the same for her as any other survivor: Don't give up on the restoration of your spirit. Keep seeking the comfort, support and encourgement you need. You absolutely can experience a deep and wonderful healing in every aspect of your life.
An (Ongoing) American Tragedy: Gang Rapes of Black Women
8:10 PM PDT, September 15, 2007, updated at 5:41 PM PDT, October 4, 2007
In the post-slavery period, one aspect of the terrorism unleashed on newly freed Black people--in addition to lynching--was rape. No longer were Black women the victims of sexual violence perpetrated only by the relatively small slave-owning class of White men. White men of all economic levels who wanted to reinforce White supremacy, keep Blacks intimidated, controlled and spiritually broken, engaged in individual and gang rapes of Black women. All of us who would like to believe that such a thing cannot happen today have been recently reminded that it can. Megan Williams, a 20-year-old African-American woman, was held captive, sexually assaulted, beaten, stabbed, taunted with the n-word and otherwise brutalized in unimaginably horrifying ways by six White people for a week in West Virginia. Racist violence is not the only form of sexual victimization experienced by Black women in this country. This summer, a 35-year-old Black woman was raped by as many as 10 Black teens while her son was beaten in the next room in West Palm Beach, Fla. During the three-hour crime, the woman and her son were forced to endure another unspeakable form of victimization and were doused with household cleaners. I have been writing about sexual violence against Black women for a decade and I have come across many horrendous cases. These two crimes are at the top of the list. I don't know where to begin about what has gone so terribly wrong with people, what is so extraordinarily wrong with our society, that these things could happen in 2007. So I won't even try. Instead, I will lift up and shout out a glorious Black woman warrior who is making her BOOMING voice heard on behalf of Black woman. I have never met her, but all indications suggest she is brilliant, fearless and unstoppable in her mission of standing up for the protection, dignity and healing of women of African descent. I'm talking about Gina, the woman who has launched a blog called What About Our Daughters? Her blog is a great place to keep up-to-date about activism, media and issues of justice specific to Black women and girls. Thank God for this cyberspace place to engage our rage! Thank you, Gina, for your clarity, your energy and your example. You are THE TRUTH! Gina is certainly doing her part. We have to keep doing ALL that we can do, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and physically, to protect ourselves, to heal Megan and the mother and son in West Palm Beach, and to turn this country, this world inside out until every living soul recognizes that Black women and all women are to be treated with respect and dignity. Every day. Every second.
Will R. Kelly Ever Stand Trial?
11:27 AM PDT, September 4, 2007
During a casual chat, a member of my church mentioned that she would love to see R. Kelly live. I almost lost it. The superstar singer-songwriter was indicted on charges of child pornography in 2002. He has yet to stand trial. And he is as, if not more, popular than ever. In the most calm voice I could muster, I explained that statutory rape is a crime--even if an underage child appears to have "agreed" to participate in a sexual act--and that African Americans far too often make excuses for or completely ignore the sexual victimization of our girls. To boost the credibility of my argument, I mentioned that as a rape survivor myself, I understand the horrendous consequences of sexual violence. The woman I was talking to responded, "That happened to me to." Then she tried to place blame on the child's mother for directly or indirectly leading her daughter into such a situation. I stayed focused on holding the actual perpetrator accountable. It's a hard pill to swallow for many of us to accept that the blame for sexual violation belongs only to the person who decides force unwanted sexual activity or engage in sexual activity with someone too young to give consent. This conversation was, in part, what inspired me to write an op-ed about R. Kelly and African Americans' movement to end the abuse of Black women and girls. Today, the Chicago Tribune has reported that once again, R. Kelly's trial has been delayed. A new date has not yet been set. Will justice prevail? Will we stop allowing perpetrators in our community to get away with rape? Will we protect and heal our women and girls?
A FEW GOOD MEN
4:21 PM PDT, May 28, 2007, updated at 9:11 PM PDT, May 30, 2007
Just a moment ago I was in the process of researching statistics online for a freelance magazine piece I am writing when I happened across some very good news. One of my absolute favorite organizations was recently named a winner in the "No Private Matter! Ending Abuse in Intimate and Family Relations" competition, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in partnership with Changemakers. Men Can Stop Rape, one of three finalists, is the only U.S. organization to win. The other two are in India and Kenya. There were 247 total entries from 46 countries. I have been saying for years that the kind of work Men Can Stop Rape is doing will be key to the elimination of men's violence against women. Congratulations, y'all!!! Keep up the good work. We need you.
Journalists Are Writing Books to Help Others Heal
7:12 PM PDT, May 22, 2007, updated at 7:16 PM PDT, May 22, 2007
Before I wrote my book, I wrote about my experience of sexual assault in an article for Emerge magazine. I was on staff there when I was raped in 1995. I was inspired to write I Will Survive because of the passionate response of readers to that article. Soon after my book was published, another survivor/journalist, Robin Stone came out with her book No Secrets, No Lies: How Black Families Can Heal from Incest. Yesterday I was listening to NPR's "New & Notes" program and heard an interview with yet another survivor/journalist. Dominic Carter, a renowned television reporter in New York, has written a memoir about his experience as a survivor called No Mama's Boy: How I Let Go of My Past and Embraced the Future. It is encouraging to see this pattern of journalists using their victimizations and healing journeys to create tools to help others heal. I am also thrilled that African Americans are beginning to have a wealth of culturally-specific sexual violence resources to choose from.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2007
8:27 PM PDT, May 10, 2007, updated at 8:10 PM PDT, May 17, 2007
Last month, I had the opportunity to speak at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Northern Michigan University in Marquette, and Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. At each school, I met survivors who are helping to raise awareness about sexual violence. I was especially impressed with Union's Tau Chapter of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. These phenomenal women hosted their second annual Domestic Violence and Rape Awareness Banquet on April 28. I love that they invited a broad diversity of student orgnaizations to participate. And they decided to donate the funds raised to a charity of my choice. (What an honor!) I selected the National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault (SCESA). I have admired the founders, Condencia Brade and Luz Marzuez-Benbow, for years. Without a doubt, the students I met and the women of SCESA will continue positively impacting communities of color for decades to come.
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Bio
Lori S. Robinson is the author of I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse, published in March 2003 by Seal Press. Since then, she has been speaking at colleges, community organizations and churches across the country and abroad about sexual violence.
Robinson is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, Essence, the Detroit Free Press, The Crisis, Heart & Soul and The Source, among other publications. Also an educator, most recently she taught media at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. A former editor at Emerge magazine, her honors include National Association of Black Journalists awards and Unity Award in Media prizes. She has also been recognized by women's organizations and service provider groups. Robinson received a 2006 Visionary Award from the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, the 2005 Champion for Change Award in Media and the Arts from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, a 2004 Fruit of Her Hands Award from the Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute, and the 1997 Inspirational Award from the International Black Women's Congress. In February 2004, she was selected to serve as one of five judges for the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma's national Award for Excellence in Reporting on Victims of Violence. She has been interviewed by CBS Evening News, the Los Angeles Times, The Houston Chronicle and the Washington Post about sexual violence. Robinson earned a master's degree in journalism from New York University in 1994. She graduated from Spelman College with a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish in 1990. She is blessed to be married to an extraordinary husband, Ollie Johnson.
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