“We always tell them, but they don’t do anything about it!” Middle School Black girls Experiences with Sexual Harassment at an Urban Middle School

Abstract

Black women and girls are frequently left out of narratives on sexual harassment/sexual violence due to pervasive racism and sexism. Schools contribute to this silence by continuing to overlook the exceptional needs and experiences of Black girls. Therefore, this qualitative study used an intersectional lens to examine Black girls’ experiences with sexual harassment in an urban middle school. Results indicated participants experienced both physical and verbal sexual harassment and felt their concerns were largely ignored or/or minimized by teachers school administrators. Recommendations for creating safe spaces for Black girls in urban middle schools are provided.

“[E]ven Though We Don’t Have Everything…We Build Our Own Thing”: Exploring Black Girl Space

“…Similarly, a single focus group per grade level did not afford us the opportunity to systematically examine grade‐level or developmental patterns in these themes. Future studies may consider specific topics or issues of interest, for example, colorism or sexual harassment (Harris & Kruger, 2020; Rosario et al., 2021), within Black girl space and how these issues may manifest differently across developmental stages (early adolescence vs. late adolescence).…”

“…These consequences are strikingly evident in schools where adolescent Black girls are over‐disciplined—in frequency and severity—and too often experience racial exclusion and sexual violence (e.g., Harris & Kruger, 2020; Morris, 2016). Nationwide, Black girls are six times more likely to be suspended than white girls, and in urban centers, like New York City, the school expulsion rate for Black girls was 53 times that of white girls (Crenshaw et al., 2015).…”

“…Previous research clearly demonstrates that Black girls’ school experiences are shaped by societal racism and sexism (e.g., Joseph, Mitchell, & Bianco, 2018; Morris, 2016; Neal‐Jackson, 2018). From hair‐based discrimination (Macon, 2014; Rogers, Versey, & Cielto, 2021) and colorism (Rosario et al., 2021; Ward, Robinson‐Wood, & Boadi, 2016), to peer exclusion (Ispa‐Landa, 2013) and hyper‐sexualization and sexual harassment (Harris & Kruger, 2020), Black girls experience schools in ways that are distinct from Black boys and white girls (Carter Andrews, Brown, Castro, & Id‐Deen, 2019). In a meta‐ethnographic review of 37 qualitative studies of Black girls’ schooling experiences, Neal‐Jackson (2018) identified three empirical themes: (1) low academic expectations from teachers/administrators, (2) constrained and stereotyped Black (feminine) identities, and (3) limited learning opportunities, restrictive rules, and harsh discipline.…”

Policy as Punishment and Distraction: The Double Helix of Racialized Sexual Harassment of Black Girls

“…Studies note teachers’ complacency in Black girls being sexually harassed by their peers and their failure to protect them (Carter Andrews et al, 2019; Crenshaw et al, 2015; Onyeka-Crawford et al, 2017) because “often the sexual harassment of black female students is viewed as warranted or expected” (Rahimi & Liston, 2011, p. 804). Teachers disregarded Black girls’ reports of sexualized aggressions as just teasing and not that serious (Rahimi & Liston, 2011), or encouraged the girls to just ignore the harassment (Hill & Kearl, 2011), ergo creating a culture where sexual harassment becomes acceptable (Harris & Kruger, 2020). Consequently, Black girls and the ways they are especially susceptible to sexual harassment in schools were rendered invisible (Patton et al, 2016).…”

Feeling Invisible and Unheard: A Qualitative Exploration of Gendered-Racist Stereotypes Influence on Sexual Decision Making and Mistreatment of Black Teen Girls

“…As girls reported incidents to teachers and family members, their accusations tended to either be ignored or dismissed, leaving girls powerless and unsure whether the attack on their bodies would remain unpunished. Consistent with the literature, Harris and Kruger (2020) conducted a critical phenomenological study with middle school Black girls who described their experiences with verbal and physical sexual harassment from their classmates were dismissed or minimized by teachers and school administrators. Due to gendered racist stereotypes, teachers may view Black teen girls as sexually available, and interpret harassing behavior as an accepted cultural norm within the Black community (Carter Andrews et al, 2019), even though Black girls are more likely to be touched, fondled, or grabbed than Hispanic/Latina or White girls (Young et al, 2009).…”