Sexual Harassment,

Assault & Sex Trafficking in

America

By: Lauren G. Potter

 The culture of sexual abuse started in the beginning of American history. Slavery allowed

for the abuse to happen without any repercussions for the perpetrator. Having control over these

women planted this idea around the country that women can be used, and if they were paid for

what they did, it was even more acceptable. Throughout history women have been oppressed and

dismissed in societies. Every 98 seconds someone is sexually assaulted in the United States. One

in three women have experienced rape or sexual harassment. For perspective, at least one women

in your immediate family or friend group has been sexually abused. Ninety-one percent of

victims are women and African American women experience sexual violence at a rate 35%

higher than white females. Only 37% of sexual assaults are reported. Fifty of one thousand rapes

lead to arrest (NOFW). Before the MeToo movement rape was portrayed as the woman’s fault

and now times are changing for the better.

One woman was sold and bought by a slave owner and when he brought her to his tavern

to try to sexually assault her; she attacked him, and he died from his injuries the next day (Macks

1937). She was then charged with murder. This goes to show women didn’t have the basic right

of self-defense. Hearing these stories as a young girl told women that it wasn’t safe to go against

a man. As a female slave, the women could keep silent and “go on” with their lives, or they

could speak up and be put to death with punishment. Young girls around the age of 14 were even

targeted by their white masters and used for sex. Being so young and innocent allowed for the

men to easily take advantage of these poor girls. Masters would use the fact that the women were

their property against the women and allowed for them to gain control. Many times, African

American women would be taken from their husbands or families and they were bred like cattle

with other men on the plantations. This wasn’t an uncommon thing; the masters’ wives would be

aware of the situation and would keep their mouths shut.

 In 1865 the 13th amendment passed, which abolished slavery in the United States. Yet,

that did not abolish the stereotypes that surrounded African American women. Women were seen

as sexual vessels and not human beings. This stereotype made it easy for others of all races to

accept and justify rapes, forced impregnation, and sex trading. One woman by the name of Recy

Taylor was abducted and raped at gun point in 1944 by six white men, when she was walking

home from church. When Taylor took the case to court she had an all-white male jury that

dismissed her case within five minutes of hearing her story, despite physical evidence and

multiple witness accounts. (Now.org 2019)

Our society has been raised on the domination of women from the start. It has been a part

of her core because our ancestors have done the same thing. In the state of Mississippi, the crime

of rape didn’t apply to African slaves (MS Court 1985). White men could rape African slaves,

but a double-standard rose when African American men would be accused of rape; their

punishment would be castration, which years later then changed to the punishment of death.

American slavery designed the culture of sex trafficking in America today. Men have

learned how to gain control of women to get what they want. It is easier for the pimps to target

women who are living in poverty or uneducated, weak and looking for security. It is extremely

dangerous for these women because they are unaware of what could happen to them. When she

begins to trust him, he will start to isolate her from her family and friends. In most cases they

will move to a new city to secure confinement. Once these women have been sexually abused or

trafficked their mental state becomes unbalanced and may not return to the way it was before

because of post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts and depression. They may become

reliant on substances or develop an eating disorder to feel as if they have control of their life

(Samuel Merritt University). Once a woman has gone through the nightmare of sexual assault,
she now must live with the fear, guilt, and trauma for the rest of her life. Sexual violence has the

same effect on the brain as being robbed, car accident, or being a trauma surgeon and without

phycological help it is possible that they may never recover.

For years women have been scrutinized by media for coming out, saying that they have

been used, assaulted, or harassed. They’re called liars, sluts, and attention-seeking. An

underlying theme throughout media seems to support the man in the situation, whoever he may

be. Recently in Hollywood many stories been reaching the surface as more women are coming

out. Thandie Newton, star of For Colored Girls (2010), has her own story regarding sexual

abuse. As an African American woman, she says that once she got a call back and a director had

a camera shooting up her skirt and then he asked her to touch herself like she was in a sex scene.

Hollywood is a strange business, so although she felt uncomfortable, she did it anyway. It was

only years later when she found out the whole story. Newton and her husband were at a film

festival when a producer came up to Newton and stated that he had seen her recently. Her

husband was confused and asked for clarification. The producer said the director had the tape

and was showing it at his house during the poker games and other men would “get off to it” (W

Mag 2016). Many women have come forward with their stories in the last 5 years. Including

Busy Phillips, Ellen DeGeneres, Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow regarding the Harvey

Weinstein case.

Rape culture is in every aspect of our own lives. From fraternities to the United States

military. At Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania a “rape attic” was discovered involving two

fraternity houses, Phi Psi and Delta Upsilon. Documents were found involving things such as

“meeting minutes” and pledging rituals. These documents included racist, misogynistic and

homophobic language. Purchases of “Date rape” drugs were also discussed in the documents
along with sexual assaults. The student body is currently holding a “sit in” to protest these

fraternities. The college has already decided to ban these houses but is continuing their

investigation. (BBC 2019)

The United States military has always had our utmost respect but in the recent years

studies have shown that cases of unwanted sexual contract have skyrocketed 38% from 14,900

cases in 2016 to 20,500 in 2018. Young women from the ages 17-24 have to highest risk of

being sexual prey. Senator Martha McSally, who was the first female US fighter pilot to fly in

combat, revealed that she too was raped by a superior officer while serving in the Air Force.

Everyone who joins the military goes through 8 ½ to 13 weeks of military training to become a

solider and become aggressive enough to fight for our lives in combat. Yet, that line should not

be crossed regarding personal and professional relationships. (BBC 2019)

Service members who reported sexual assault v estimated totals:

 The MeToo Movement has taken the world by storm and opened everyone’s eyes to the

agony and fear that comes with sexual violence. States legislation has even used it to pass bills to

speed up the process of testing of rape kits and to extend the statute of limitations for victims

who want to file lawsuits against their abusers and almost every legislature in the county has

reexamined its own policies for dealing with workplace harassment (Beitsch 2018).

If 1 in 3 women have been raped, that means where ever you’re reading this someone has

been hurt by a man mentally and physically. In day to day life and even on the news I see rape

culture as something that happens but “it can’t be changed because boys will be boys”. I strongly

disagree. People will be people who don’t rape others. There should not be excuses for violating

a woman’s body and rights.

Although our society has made progress, we still have a long way to go. America began

with slavery, no women’s rights, and rape was not a crime. Since then we have abolished

slavery, gained women’s rights, and criminalized rape and sexual assault. The breakthrough of

the MeToo movement has developed and greater understanding of the trauma that women endure

after being sexually assaulted. The effects of rape is not a onetime occurrence in a victim’s

lifetime.
 Works Cited

BBC. (2019). Swarthmore Fraternities Disband After “Rape Culture” Claims.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48110954

BBC. (2019). US Military Reports Major Spike in Sex Assaults.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48125906

Beitsch, Rebecca. (2018). #MeToo Has Changed Our Culture.

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/07/31/metoo-has-

changed-our-culture-now-its-changing-our-laws

Duffield, J.M. (1848). Letters to R.C. Ballard. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h3436.html

Harrell, Jamille. (2015). Knowledge Of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Among African

American Parents.

https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2441&context=dissertations

Mark, Richard. (1937). On Slaveholders Sexual Abuse of Slaves.

http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/maai/enslavement/text6/masterslavesexualabuse.pdf

National Organization for Women NYC. ( ). Rape and Sexual Assault in the US.

https://nownyc.org/issues/get-the-facts-take-rape-seriously/

Now.org. ( ). Black Women and Sexual Violence. https://now.org/wp-

content/uploads/2018/02/Black-Women-and-Sexual-Violence-6.pdf

Reese, Fredrick. (2017). Sex Trafficking’s True Victims.

https://atlantablackstar.com/2017/06/15/sex-traffickings-true-victims-why-are-our-black-

girlswomen-so-vulnerable/
Samuel Merritt University. (2019). Understanding the Effects of Sexual Violence.

https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/sexual_violence/effects

The Voice of Black Cincinnati. (2019). African American Trafficking Numbers.

https://thevoiceofblackcincinnati.com/african-american-human-trafficking/

Wmag. (2016). Thandie Newton On Why She’s Drawn to Tough Roles.

https://www.wmagazine.com/story/thandie-newton-on-why-shes-drawn-to-tough-roles

How has slavery in America specifically effected the African American women stuck in the

culture of sex trade, & what are the circumstances for other women around the world?