Imperfect Accusers: A sad example of bias against African American Rape Victims

[stevenleser]

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34791191

The trial of Daniel Holtzclaw, a police officer accused of sexually assaulting more than a dozen poor, black women, has failed thus far to make a large impact on the national stage. Now one local group of activists is determined to fill the void.

A little over a year ago, after multiple felony sexual battery and rape charges were filed against former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw, the story made national headlines.

The allegations were shocking - the uniformed officer allegedly sexually assaulted multiple women after stopping them in the course of his duties, targeting ones from a poorer, predominantly African-American part of the city. Over the course of the investigation, the number of accusers grew to 13. Holtzclaw currently faces 36 charges, including felony sexual battery, rape, forcible oral sodomy and stalking.

He was fired from the force in January.
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(More at above link)

[Number23]

1. Oh God...

Concern about the absence of supportive faces in the court was compounded by the fact that the jury in the case is all white and mostly male - eight men and four women.



I've got little hope. We've discussed this issue before and I've said that before. I've got NO hope for justice for these women. I would give anything to be wrong.

"I think that a lot of people perceive this as risky to bet on because these women are not perfect victims," she says. "Particularly when you bring in factors of race, we've seen that white women are not necessarily going to dig in on behalf of black women."

Unfortunately, history has proven that true time and time again. So glad to see the raised profile on this case. If it can get one person to stop automatically viewing black women as in less need of protection than everyone else that some good will come out of all of this.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. I have no hope for them either

And he will be free to do it again.