The Forgotten Survivors of Sexual Violence: Black Women and Girls in America

Recy Taylor, Rosa Parks, Relisha Rudd - more than just names and stories, these are women and girls whose lives were upended by violence. And there are countless other black women and girls who experience similarly horrifying incidents. In this episode we explore the history of violence against black women and girls in America, the lack of services available to them, and the solutions that are necessary to empower them. Dr. Jameta Barlow, community psychologist and assistant professor at The George Washington University presents a brief history of violence against black women and girls in United States - beginning with the story of Recy Taylor and extending to other experiences of slavery and human rights violations against black people in America - that offers a framework for our present reality fraught with systemic failures, barriers to support and increasing violence against women. Dr. Barlow also provides examples of progress in these areas and offers solutions for the future through her strengths-based approach to solving community health problems. Her 2020 article titled, The Forgotten Survivors of Sexual Violence: Black Women and Girls in America, was the impetus for this conversation and it can be found on the website of the American Psychological Association. This episode discusses sexual violence, rape, racism, child abduction and other forms of violence.