Sexual abuse of slaves was a common occurrence in the United States antebellum south. The rape of enslaved women was to increase the slave population and to satisfy the needs of white slave owners. Enslaved women were forced to submit to their master’s sexual advances; if a slave woman became pregnant, this would cause the master’s wife to become outraged. In some cases, the affair tore the master’s family apart, but most women remained with their husbands and made the slave woman’s life unbearable.
One white lady that lived near us at McBean slipped in a colored gal’s room and cut her baby’s head clean off ’cause it belonged to her husband. he beat her ’bout it and started to kill her, but she begged so I reckon he got to feelin’ sorry for her. But he kept goin’ with the colored gal and they had more chillun. — unnamed former slave, enslaved in Georgia, interviewed 1937
An enslaved woman who defended herself against a sexual attack by a White person was subject to cruel beatings. Liaisons between Whites and Blacks were illegal. Slave women, regardless of their age, were viewed as seducers of White men. Black slave women received the harshest punishment if discovered in an affair with a White male, and pregnancy became the evidence of the illegal affair. A “mulatto” baby was the sure indicator of the white master’s infidelity.
However, sexual abuse by white slave owners had a deeper meaning behind it. “Black female flesh was unprotected in the institution of slavery, and the raping of female slaves by slave masters was not only a means of stripping them of physical agency, but a tactic used in order to destroy the social fabric of the entire slave community.” (Putzi,5)
The involuntary impregnation of these women by their slave masters was a reminder of the power dynamic between black women and white men. The power of white slave masters to have sex with their slave women attacked black men indirectly because they were powerless. They could do nothing to stop the violence.
source:
“Raising the Stigma: Black Womanhood and the Marked Body in Pauline Hopkins’s Contending Forces” By Jennifer Putzi
18 Comments
Rape is about power. When power is not the focus of the discussion we fall into the trap of once again sexualizing Black womanhood; making the rape of enslaved simplistic. Sexualizing rape also allows us to ignore/erase the rape of Black boys and men by both men and women.
There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I am very glad to see such great info being shared freely out there.
You have made some good points there. I looked on the net to find out more about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this web site.
Good article! We will be linking to this great content on our website. Keep up the great writing.
You are so awesome! I do not believe I’ve read through anything like this before. So wonderful to find someone with some genuine thoughts on this subject. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This site is one thing that’s needed on the internet, someone with a bit of originality!
Hello There. I discovered your weblog the use of msn.
This is a really smartly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your helpful information.
Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
What’s up every one, here every person is sharing such familiarity,
therefore it’s nice to read this weblog, and I used to visit this weblog every day.
Aw, this became a really good post. In thought I must devote writing similar to this moreover – taking time and actual effort to create a excellent article… but exactly what do I say… I procrastinate alot and no means seem to get something carried out.
Ditropan Erectile Pills Over The Counter
What’s up to every one, as I am actually keen of reading this website’s post to be updated regularly.
It consists of nice data.
Propecia 5mg Daily Cialis Compra
I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I am not sure
whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble.
You’re amazing! Thanks!
Simply want to say your article is as astounding. The
clearness for your publish is just nice and that
i can think you are knowledgeable in this subject. Fine with your
permission allow me to snatch your feed to stay updated with impending post.
Thank you a million and please carry on the rewarding work.
“Enslaved women were forced to satisfy sexual advances” – I feel that the term “sexual advances” is misused here because there is an implicit insinuation that refusal is possible if only an “advance” is being made. By the same token, characterizing repeated rapes as “affairs” is also wrong. Again with implications of some kind of consent on the part of the female victim. No AFFAIR happened between raped women and their rapists. No sexual advances took place. Just sexual assaults. Get it right. You are inadvertently helping in the white-washing of this historical evil by misuse of the English language.
“Enslaved women were forced to satisfy sexual advances” – I feel that the term “sexual advances” is misused here because there is an implicit insinuation that refusal is possible if only an “advance” is being made. By the same token, characterizing repeated rapes as “affairs” is also wrong. Again with implications of some kind of consent on the part of the female victim. No AFFAIR happened between raped women and their rapists. No sexual advances took place. Just sexual assaults. Get it right. You are inadvertently helping in the white-washing and softening of this historical evil by misuse of the English language.
Why even bother discussing this? who the hell actually cares, look at the absolute crap going on by low-life REPUBLICAN politicians in D.C.? So many people’s heads stuck either in the sand or, up their own butts ((republican house/senate)). Dirt by Anglo-Saxon Europeans has been going on in this land for centuries, and almost the entire Anglo-Saxon or “white” members of the US conveniently ignore their ancestors dirty-deeds done to both Native American Indians and enslavement of Africans to this shit country. Essentially, the “white-man” has been feeding on all others outside the white race of this country, and now the buzzards have come home to roost, meaning they are feeding hate and greed among themselves at the demise of that thing they lied about from the inception of this country with all those lies written in the so-called constitution. As the old saying goes, a house build on a weak foundation, soon falls in upon itself, that is happening now. Just deserves…………..
Yes, and the White slave owners were all stinking DEMOCRATS!! Today, they still try to enslave a whole nation!