How sexual Harassment Became Important

Why Color Matters within Rape

Nemesis Contreras, January 31, 2018

Why is it that when women of color and in a minority group have experienced sexual harassment or rape it was not taken as seriously as it it now that celebrities have began coming out about their very own experiences? Many women of color or in minorities have experienced some form of unwanted sexual violence at least once in their lifetime yet many women are questioned about the credibility of their story unlike many of the Hollywood actors now. “We have to push to speak on sexual assault, and what’s happening now is that it takes a celebrity to get the word out about our very issues and about the life we experience” said Farah Tanis in regards to the #metoo movement. #metoo is a movement that began after actress Alyssa Milano posted a tweet asking everyone who had been sexually harassed to reply with the word “me too.” Within the first 24 hours there were so many comments, posts, retweets, and reactions in regards to “#metoo” but why is it that when a celebrity came out about her story many people were a lot more supportive than when a woman of color wants to stand up for the injustice upon her.

The Disadvantage of Color in Sexual Assault

“A study of rape dispositions in Dallas, for example, showed that the average prison term for a man convicted of raping a Black woman was two years, as compared to five years for the rape of a Latina and ten years for the rape of an Anglo woman” is what Kimberle Crenshaw stated when talking about rape and how it differs within women of color. It is very troubling to see how present racism is when a man is being convicted of sexual harassment. This shows that women of color do not have as much value as a white women therefore the man convicted of rape serves a shorter sentence compared to an anglo woman. Farah Tanis also addresses this by stating, “But some advocates have also expressed concern that the issue of sexual violence only became important because it affected prominent white woman.” Both Tanis and Crenshaw prove that being a woman of color plays a huge role in whether the sexual assault you experienced is taken seriously or not based on your race. Tanis also continues speaking about cultural difference and how that may also stop you from speaking out and keeping silent about your experience.

Silence because of Culture

Another very important factor that plays into sexual harassment is your culture and whether rape and sexual harassment goes unacknowledged or if it is highly paid attention to. Many cultures are quiet about things such as this because of the image they try and maintain about their culture and what their culture represents. Tanis states, “It’s not just the social circumstances, but it’s also those codes of loyalty, it’s also those expectations around what it means to be a black woman and to keep our mouth shut around sexual assault when it’s our very own fathers and grandfathers.” Many women are in this same situation so they struggle to speak out because they do not want to ruin the ‘reputation’ of their community or their family. In another article that spoke about why women fail to speak out against sexual harassment it stated, “ A third factor that may reduce the likelihood of reporting sexual harassment is a highly male- dominated organization and/or highly masculine culture.” Many Latino families have a very masculine atmosphere because they believe that boys need to be strong, independant, etc. and part of that plays into why men think it is ok for them to subjugate women. This causes many women to keep quiet because they are afraid of people shaming their culture or their race.

Don’t Let Color be a Roadblock

Sexual harassment is a very serious issue and it has only as of recent been brought to light as important but it has been happening to women of color and minority groups for a long time but not being acknowledge. Although it is very disturbing that it is now only being acknowledge because celebrities are bringing awareness to their own experiences we need to be able to work with that. If we work together as a whole to bring awareness putting aside the color of our skin and our financial status we can bring much more awareness to all communities whether black brown or white or poor or rich. And working together will help people not be as afraid of speaking out and sharing their own experiences because it does not matter the culture or race you are because sexual harassment can happen to anyone.