race and racism

Indianapolis Woman Alleges Brutal Police Beating That Caused Miscarriage

by Cara August 31, 2010

Trigger Warning for descriptions of police violence and forcible miscarriage, as well as discussions of racism and victim-blaming. LaDonna Dixon claims that last June, an Indianapolis police officer beat her severely after she argued with him — even though she was in handcuffs, and even though she says that she told him she was pregnant [...]

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President Obama to Sign Law Targeting Sexual Violence Against Native American Women

by Cara July 29, 2010

I’m incredibly pleased to be able to pass along some great news for a change — the Tribal Law and Order Act, which I  had previously urged all of you to support, and which the infinitely awesome Pretty Bird Woman House vocally approves, has passed both houses of Congress and it set to be signed [...]

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Experts Believe Arizona Immigration Law Will Harm Domestic Abuse Victims

by Cara July 6, 2010

By now, most of you have probably heard of SB 1070 — the abhorrent Arizona immigration law that is soon to take effect. For those who haven’t heard of the law or who need a refresher, SB 1070 not only has the effect of legalizing racial profiling, it requires it of police. Once in effect, [...]

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On Dismissing Sexual Violence Against Some Women As “Cultural”

by Cara June 25, 2010

Strong Trigger Warning for discussions and descriptions of sexual violence, rape apologism, war, murder, and racism. This morning, an incredible op-ed by Lisa Shannon was published in the New York Times, entitled “No, Sexual Violence is Not ‘Cultural.’” Of course, those of us here know that rape culture is very, very real. But the context [...]

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Man Reported Police Sexual Assault Against His Girlfriend, Now Faces Deportation

by Cara May 27, 2010

The man pictured above did a very, very scary thing. This man pictured above did the right thing. And for calling 911 while a police officer sexually assaulted his girlfriend during a traffic stop, Abel Moreno was arrested. His girlfriend was arrested, too. Then, things got even worse. Several things then happened. Five other women [...]

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Defense Attorney Claims Convicted Rapist “Didn’t Realize” the Severity of Rape

by Cara May 18, 2010

Trigger Warning for discussions of sexual violence, rape apologism, and racism. In Adelaide, Australia, a taxi driver named Hajy Baba Rahmanian was found guilty of raping an unconscious passenger. The details of the rape itself are, of course, rather horrific: The court heard that in June 2006 the 19-year-old victim got into Rahmanian’s taxi after [...]

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New Report Examines Reproductive Health of Urban Native American Women

by Cara May 12, 2010

A new report has been released on the reproductive health of American Indian and Alaska Native women (referred to in the report as AI/AN women, a term I will thus also use here). The full report, Reproductive Health of Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Women, can be found here (pdf) and the executive summary [...]

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Release of Innocent Man Shows Huge Flaws in Sexual Assault Prosecutions

by Cara May 7, 2010

In Australia, a man named Farah Jama was recently released from jail after spending 15 months there on a wrongful conviction for rape. Jama (pictured left) had an alibi for the night, was not seen by any witnesses at the scene of the alleged crime, and was not identified by the alleged victim, who was [...]

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This is Not an Analysis of Rape Culture. This is a Rant.

by Cara April 28, 2010

Trigger Warning for very graphic and disturbing descriptions of rape, as well as descriptions of death from alcohol poisoning. This morning I read a story about how a man named Shareef Clemons confessed to raping a 15-year-old girl when he was 16. He raped her along with Juan Williams, who was 17 at the time [...]

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New Report on Murdered and Missing Aboriginal Women and Girls in Canada

by Cara April 23, 2010

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) has, through their Sisters in Spirit initiative, gathered information and released a report on Aboriginal women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered in Canada over the past generation (pdf). They found a total of 582 cases. Of those, 393 died as a result of murder [...]

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