Response to Readings

True, the issue of sexual offenses in America threatened to sever social ties between natives and blacks. I accept that bigotry contributed to the lynching of blacks by white women in order to shield them from sexual offenses. According to the book, “Benjamin Tillman proudly told the United States Senate in 1900 that his state had disenfranchised blacks, and he related their removal from citizenship to the protection of white women...” (Freedman, p. 230) With lynchings at an all-time high in 1890, further issues arose as blacks were barred from marrying white women. The consequences were deepened wedges between races. Journalists do their best by inquiring the truth over the problems. I understand the claim that controlling the problems had to be difficult.

I do not agree with the ideas of the narrative to change the view on rape. I expected the article to identify the struggle to solve social issues before the political changes. With women accusing men wrongly, the move to free the accused men was positive and beneficial to avoid the suffering of men in most cases (Renisson 2014). I feel that racial issues played a part in these cases of black women remained unresolved because of unspecified information. Inclusions of medical interventions like psychological examinations were positive ideas coupled with the privacy of women. The chapter highlights that: “This move toward privacy could be viewed as a welcome relief for women who experienced rape, as well as an advance in journalistic standards (Freedman 276).” I like the establishment of call lines and crises centers to crack the issues amidst the general definitions of the sexual offenses. It had to paralyze the laws. Some questions remain unanswered by the chapter like: How did the call centers reduce the lies in the cases? When did the problems of racial profiling about race end? Moreover, did the social bonds grow stronger after solving these issues?

Work Cited

Freedman, Estelle. Redefining Rape. Harvard University Press, 2013.

Renisson, Callie. "Who Suffers Most From Rape and Sexual Assault in America?" Opinion pages, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/opinion/who-suffers-most-from-rape-and-sexual-assault-in-america.html?_r=0. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.