On Saturday, October 22nd, students, artists, musicians, organizers, teachers and Black women entrepreneurs will join the Women’s Leadership Project , Media Done Responsibly, the Black LGBTQ+ Parent and Caregiver group and other community partners will take to the streets in Leimert Park to rally and raise awareness about the disproportionate impact of rape culture, sexual and domestic violence on Black girls and Black communities. Black women and girls between the ages of 15–35 are more likely to die from domestic and intimate partner violence than are non-Black women and girls. Approximately 60% of Black girls have experienced some form of sexual abuse by the time they are 18 and Black girls report in-school sexual harassment at higher rates than other groups. Globally, domestic and sexual violence rates have skyrocketed since the pandemic began, highlighting already existing socioeconomic disparities within vulnerable communities of color where access to preventive health care is limited. For Black girl sexual violence victims, silence and shaming from Black families, faith institutions, the community at large, and law enforcement contribute to the triple burden of those who have to provide care, go to school, and work outside the home. The #MeToo movement has been ineffective and MIA on redressing these issues.
The Standing4BlackGirls coalition was spearheaded by L.A.-based Black women and girls-led gender justice organizations in 2021 to provide a platform for Black girl survivors of sexual and domestic violence. This is the third year of the event. Given the deeply embedded tradition of victim-shaming, blaming, and silencing of Black women and girl survivors in African American communities, it is still difficult to organize around sexual violence, misogynoir, and patriarchy and garner the attention of Black folks. #S4BG coalition demands include creation of a fund for Black girl domestic violence survivors, creation of a regional task force focused on Black girls, and development of safe spaces, housing, treatment and mental and reproductive health resources for Black girls and Black gender expansive youth. In April 2021, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence asked the state legislature for over $15 million from the Department of Public Health to coordinate statewide sexual and domestic violence prevention efforts. Yet funding for sustainable initiatives that support Black girls across sexuality is still virtually nonexistent.
Info on how to participate in or support the October 22nd action can be found here
