In 2019, black girls and women went missing across America. However, missing person accounts and their details were under-represented in the media. When it comes to being kidnapped, raped, beaten, or even harassed, black women are not presented in the news as victims, but as the provokers.

Throughout history, there have been unsolved missing reports of black girls and women. In “Afro: The Black Media Authority,” Stacy Brown states, “242,295 individuals of color were reported missing in the United States [yearly]. In total, statistics show more than 75,000 young Black Americans are currently missing.”

According to Mabinty Quarshie in USA Today, “Black women are more likely to experience violence, more likely to be paid less for their work and more likely to see fewer people who look like them in the media or holding political office.” Quarshie explains that black women are still affected by the common mind constructs “black” and “woman.”

Early in 2019,  news circulated about R. Kelly and the young black girls he held captive. Many people, even within the black community, believed that these young girls chose to be with R. Kelly. 

That’s one of the many cases in recent years. 

In her essay about missing black girls, La’Tasha D. Mayes states, “In other words, missing Black youth are grossly underreported in the news. For missing girls, it’s even worse. When Black girls go missing, far too many people don’t know or don’t care.” 

Many black girls are going missing. And the missing black girls are deemed to be runaways even though they are victims.

Can The Problem Be Stopped? 

Racism and sexism go hand to hand when dealing with missing black girls and women. Is there going to be any justice for them? How many black girls will be left when society finally takes action?

There are black women who are speaking out about this tragic occurrence in Social media and other outlets. Black activists are striving to protect the black women who are going missing, but is that enough?

The need in the Justice System to have more black women and men who care about cases that are affecting the black communities.

How Does It Relate to DSU Students?

Bringing awareness to the students bestows them information to help them understand for themselves. Additionally, bring awareness that there are black women on campus who just don’t worry about being a woman, but being black as well.

 DSU students should know what black women are going through in their daily lives, and how black women have to deal with certain hardships that can be totally different from the predominant white society.