July 10, 2020

We’re amazed and inspired by the activists and allies who’ve gathered to resist police brutality and racism within law enforcement. We know this movement will be even stronger when they commit to ending sexualized harm perpetrated by the police. As many of the pieces on this reading list point out, sexual misconduct claims form the second-highest category of complaints against law enforcement officers—yet it’s rarely exposed. Black women and girls, cisgender and trans alike, are frequently the targets of such violence, pushing them further to the margins and away from justice. If you’re trying to understand police brutality beyond excessive force, here’s a reading list from CAASE. 

1. The sexual assault allegations against an officer involved in Breonna Taylor’s killing say a lot about police abuse of power: Breonna Taylor’s murder didn’t just begin more conversations about the realities of racist policing—it also brought up new claims of sexual assault against one of the officers involved in the killing and reopened examinations of system sexual harm within law enforcement. 
2. Say Her Name: Recognizing Police Brutality Against Black Women: This piece from the ACLU breaks down the myriad ways that police violence and Black womanhood intersect, including instances of sexual violence. One anecdotal example: The 2015 conviction of an Oklahoma City officer for the rape and sexual assault of over a dozen Black women.
3. ‘Who will protect you from rape without police?’ Here’s my answer to that question: In this op-ed from The Guardian, Moira Donegan addresses the “well-intentioned” question that many feminists bring up as calls to abolish the police gain traction. Donegan, however, shows that law enforcement rarely pursues cases of sexual harm adequately. She also addresses the issue of domestic violence within police households and the culture of silence and entrapment that these specific survivors face. 
4. Police sexual abuse isn’t just the case of a few ‘bad apples’ — it’s systemic: When it comes to talking about “bad apples,” people often forget the full saying: “A few bad apples spoils the whole bunch.” This article from ThinkProgress explores just that, using anecdotal examples from across the country to show the history and habits of a police system that permits sexual assault, while offering statistics to paint a full picture. 
5. Tarana Burke on the Connection Between Police Brutality and Sexual Violence: From Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, this interview with Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, directly centers the voices of Black women and their calls for change. 
6. Why police often single out trans people for violence: Black trans people are at the highest risk when it comes to instances of police violence, so it is critical for allies to understand the nuances that perpetuate this cycle. Another great explainer from Vox, it reads, “According to a 2013 report by the Anti-Violence Project, trans people are 3.7 times more likely to experience police violence and 7 times more likely to experience physical violence when interacting with police than cisgender victims and survivors.”
7. Invisible No More Fact Sheet: How do police officers endanger Black mothers? Black girls? Quick and to-the-point, this fact sheet from the Invisible No More book project offers statistics and concepts that demonstrate the widespread and systematic oppression of Black women and queer people at the hands of the police.
8. How some cops use the badge to commit sex crimes: From the writer of Invisible No More, Andrea J. Ritchie, this Washington Post op-ed uses thorough research and peer-reviewed studies to track sex crimes among law enforcement. One disturbing citation: “A 2015 investigation by the Buffalo News, based on a national review of media reports and court records over a 10-year period, concluded that an officer is accused of an act of sexual misconduct at least every five days.”
9. Advocates Mourn An ‘Epidemic’ Of Violence Against Black Transgender Women: As this piece from WBUR Boston says, Black trans women are targeted because of their identities and the marginalization that leads them to “survival work,” such as prostitution and the drug trade. This increases their risk of entanglements with the police, thereby increasing their risk of experiencing brutality. 
10. Police: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Need a basic primer of how we got to this moment? While not exactly safe for work, John Oliver deftly explores the lineage of racism and violence that has shaped policing in the U.S. It’s a very important watch if you’re trying to hold conversations with people new to the concepts of abolition, reform, or restorative justice.

This piece was authored by KT Hawbaker. Learn more about our staff here.