Rape, violence and ethnicity

by Yona Silverman, Daily Pennsylvanian (U. Penn) | 10/22/2002

Oct. 21, 2002 - (U-WIRE) PHILADELPHIA - Patricia Hill Collins candidly discussed sexual violence in the black community before a mixed crowd of University of Pennsylvania students and faculty members on Friday.Collins' lecture in Logan Hall focused on the topic of her upcoming book "Black Sexual Politics."She stated that in this "era of desegregation" the lines between traditionally gendered sexual behaviors are being blurred."Lynching and rape are not nearly as gender specific as one might think," she said.Collins, the Charles Phelps Taft Professor of Sociology and a professor in the department of African American Studies at the University of Cincinnati, talked about historical differences in how blacks viewed violence toward men and women.While there was a huge movement of protest against the lynching of men in the community, in reference to rape, she said, "Black women were encouraged to keep quiet in order to subdue the idea of their wanton sexuality."Instead of talking about the more traditional aspects of sexualized power that are addressed in her book, Collins read mainly from a chapter on how the prison system in the United States helps perpetuate sexual violence in black homes."Judging by the media, rape is accepted as a common force of prison," Collins said.