Blaming the Rape Victim: More Common in Predominantly Black Communities?

"(Black) women and girls end up paying for racism by being taught to accept sexism for the sake of the greater good." --- Kellee Terrell, in "Ain't I a Victim?" for The Root, March 18, 2011

Weekends are a time for fun but also a time for reflection, reading, faith and values so Cascade Patch is seeking your feedback today.

As many readers know, the Cascade Patch is a predominantly African-American community and, as with all communities, rape and molestation—of women, men and children—remains a serious crime problem.

On Friday, Kellee Terrell braved the emotional waters of how people in urban communities across the country responded to the rape of several young black and brown women—one as young a 11 years old—and contrasted that to how people in all communities respond to the rape of white women. (See story The Root "Ain't I a Victim?" story here).

To bring it home: the story points out that, in some recent incidents, residents have suggested a black or Latina victim "asked for it." The story goes on to point out that words like "bit.." and "hoe" are all too common in rap music, street culture and even social media streams and create a climate for misogyny.

So, we're keeping this simple and asking for our readers to take the lead. If you have had a chance to read the entire piece—and seen the viewpoints presented in the story—tell us what you think.