We must speak on the prevalence of atrocities against women worldwide, whether against the grooming gangs in the UK, violence against women in the Middle East, Africa, or Mexico. We must also acknowledge that the United States is not immune to these atrocities, particularly against Black women. The tragic killing of Sonya Massey, a Black woman, at the hands of a White male police officer, Sean Grayson, serves as a stark reminder of this painful reality. Was it her declaration “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus” that enraged him? Was this all premeditated? We don’t know for sure. Was it her race that set him off? Her female sex? Both? The last is quite likely but again, we can only speculate. One thing we do know with absolute certainty is that she did not deserve to die. The reckless actions of Grayson, who was employed by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, cannot be ignored. In fact, the sheriff’s department acknowledged Grayson’s extreme recklessness.
The WDI USA Black Women’s Caucus stands firm in spreading awareness of the existence of misogynoir and our resolve to combat it. In our “Black Women’s Caucus Statement Against Gender Ideology,” we addressed the critical need to protect Black women in America from male violence. Despite comprising about 8% of the total US population, Black women suffer from some of the highest rates of male violence. Make no mistake, this violence is most frequently committed by Black men. Still, we must not overlook violence perpetrated by White male police officers. The killing of Sonya Massey by Sean Grayson delivers a stark message that Black women also face threats from the police, even when they are seeking their protection. That is a tragedy in and of itself.
We will explore the general issue of Black femicide further during our convention in Atlanta this September. Lorraine Nowlin, of the WDI USA Black Women’s Caucus, joined by Dr. Suzanne Forbes-Vierling, will facilitate a discussion with Rosa Pereira, researcher and cofounder of the Black Femicide Prevention. One can only imagine how such a blatant disregard for Black women’s lives on the part of law enforcement can leave many of us feeling terrified, disillusioned, and discouraged. The WDI USA Black Women’s Caucus wants you to know that we value and prioritize your plight.
WDI USA Black Women’s Caucus
Lorraine Nowlin
Dana S.
Kristin Z.
Women’s Declaration International USA Board of Directors
Kara Dansky
Lauren Levey
Lorraine Nowlin
Katherine Kinney
Irene Lawrence
When the police admit this was against training, they need to charge him with the full weight of law for murder.
The police also need to do better in screening applicants and training.
Nina Tryggvason
former “E” Division Forms and Workflow Analyst
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
It was BOTH. It was the continual and still constant misconceptions and stereotypes of women who, also happen to be black. Dr. Jessica Taylor of Victim’s Focus makes good reference to the constant misogyny and lack of training much-less trauma informed training in law enforcement agencies globally. Also, I absolutely abhor the FACT that families keep saying women suffered from depression and/or mental illness. Patriarchy is the mental illness not women.