She co-authored a 2017 study that found black girls are viewed by adults as more sexually mature than white girls in the same peer group. While many victims of sexual assault are doubted, black victims have it even worse. The Georgetown report cited past research showing that black girls accused of crimes find less leniency in the criminal justice system. She noted this while watching the R. Kelly documentary as other ways we use language to disempower victims. “There are layers of racism and sexism that present even more barriers to our listening to black women and girls,” Epstein said.

Source: Washington Post January 11, 2019 06:25 UTC