Victims' voices shatter a long silence

“When I met the man that was to be my rapist, I was twelve,” said poet and sexual assault victim, Rosetta Williams.

Williams is a central figure in the film, "No! The Rape Documentary," which follows black women through what they call their “breaking of silence,” a term used to describe women having the courage to talk about sexual assault and rape within their community.

The documentary's purpose, according to its contributors, is to shed light on the sexual abuse that some African-American women feel they must hide. They do not want to be labeled "traitors to their race," said contributors, by reporting sexual abuse by black males.

“Black women have survived by keeping quiet,” said Charlotte Pierce Baker, author of Surviving the Silence: Black Women’s Stories of Rape.

She said that although “every rape is an assault on us as a people,” when people believe racism is their biggest fight, women are forced to sacrifice their own souls in order to preserve unity within the black community.

The preservation of unity is costing the African-American community their women, according to Baker.

Historically the sexuality of black women has been viewed “as an economical and marketable commodity," according to the documentary. Promoting the historical view that the arrival of black women “freed white women from the burden of unwanted sex,” the film uncovers instances of sexual assault that occurred by the hands of slave owners, civil rights leaders and celebrities.

“Oh I’m sure it will be alright – he was one of our heroes,” Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons told herself as she invited a black civil rights leader into her bedroom.

A former activist within the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, Simmons recalled the event that happened almost fifty years ago, with vivid words, painting a moment of horror. After entering the room, her attacker forcibly undressed her and held her arms down saying, “You know you really want this.”

Simmons said she was saved when another woman unexpectedly entered the room, halting what she claims would have certainly been rape.

“I never expected I would have to fight off a leader in the movement,” Simmons said.

She said her greatest blow, however, came after she confronted another committee organizer about the incident. She said his exact words to her were, “We don’t have time to deal with this, besides you should’ve given him some anyway.”

Simmons said black women continue to stay silent to protect the image of the black man in society, but their silence is doing more harm than good.

“Rape was not rape, it was punishment; punishment for saying 'no,'" said Barbara Smith, an author and women's rights activist.

Collectively the women of "No! The Rape Documentary," said that the need to discuss their experiences has helped their own healing process, and has the capacity to save others within the community from similar situations.

“My voice is still emerging,” Baker said. “The way out is to tell.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ipnQjrRXnU&eurl=http://notherapedocument...