Black girls matter

[Forwhatitsworth101]

Whilst I’m sad about the Sarah Everend case I can’t help but feel even worse knowing if she had been black literally no one would have cared and it would not have made national news.

Countless non-white women are abducted and murdered and literally go unnoticed.

I had recently been wondering what happened in the Nicole and Bibaa murder case, as it received very little publicity, compared to this recent case.

As I recall, there was slightly more press when it was reported that police had been sharing selfies of their dead bodies, than there was when they were actually found murdered.

Disgusting.

Said the same to my friends earlier this week

This is a really important point. I live very very close to where Sarah disappeared and she looks very much like people I see everyday whilst out walking there every day. She seemed so happy and smiley in photos. This case has really upset me because, as well as being absolutely awful, it's physically so close to home for me.

But I have wondered whether a black girl in the same area would get the same headlines. I walk part of that route most days, and I've pondered whether if something happened to me there may be some assumption that it had something to do with gangs or a sense of not being an innocent victim.

@livinlavida2021 - I went to the memorial yesterday, not deliberately but as part of my walk, and I saw a number of black ladies there putting flowers down and looking visibly upset and also read stuff online from black commentators, so it has cut across races. I also think the timing of the crime has been significant - I think that with the pandemic, as a nation everyone is feeling strained and distressed and something like this can provoke an outpouring and emotional release. I was quite taken aback at the number of people openly crying in public and got emotional myself.

Also, I've had a bit of a u turn about this thread since thinking more about it.

I didn't realise it was a police officer that likely killed her. In which case honestly, I believe that is the main reason this story has been heavily publicised and rightly so and less so to do with race ( or saying it hasn't paid a part but I think the fact he's police is the main reason)

If a copper can do this then it speaks volumes another the world we live in. Just my thoughts.

@livinlavida2021

It has the media’s attention way before they has a suspect

I remember reading about Nicole and Bibaa on the BBC and also that police officers had taken inappropriate photos (I'm white). I was surprised though that there wasn't more of an outcry about the misconduct of the police officers and their terrible, terrible behaviour.

I saw one of the women who tried to organise the vigil yesterday, on Sky News this morning. She was asked why this case had garnered so much publicity and she admitted it was Sarah was white and middle class. She did mention that she’s horrified black women don’t have the same news coverage.

I’m white so my opinion doesn’t count on this board but as a woman from a working class background I think it’s a huge race issue and also a class one.

Lizzie, I agree class plays a part too. I feel conflicted about the 'just walking home' narrative, because a woman walking back from a nightclub, or drunk, or whatever wouldn't be any less of a victim.

What happened with the two sisters was awful, and it's so sad that it hasn't gotten more public outcry. It's also been rather frustrating to see some people just becoming outraged about police brutality for the first time now it affects them, when activists have been trying to draw attention to it for decades

I am sorry (as a white person) to say that there definitely appears to be a white bias to the way crimes are perceived and reported, and the victims of crime dealt with. I didn't know the details of the murders of Nicole and Bibaa until I googled just now. Words fail me. The selfie with a dead horse taken recently by a trainer seemed to cause more revulsion and outrage than the abhorrent disrespect shown to the sisters' bodies by the police, fgs. Disgusting.

@PompomDahlia
But I have wondered whether a black girl in the same area would get the same headlines. I walk part of that route most days, and I've pondered whether if something happened to me there may be some assumption that it had something to do with gangs or a sense of not being an innocent victim

This reminds me of the white teenage girl that was stabbed in a park in East London a couple of years ago. While the loss of another young person to knife crime was very sad I recall at the time black people especially wondering at the outcry and high media coverage in this case compared to the coverage for the many black youths that died from stabbings.

Black youths are more likely to be viewed suspiciously in these situations, as being part of gangs/involved in drugs and are less likely to be viewed sympathetically.

I think people were shocked that this could have happened to a white middle class girl who was just enjoying herself with friends in the park and I doubt that there was any question of a drugs/gang connection.

It turned out that the girl had been smoking cannabis with friends and her stabbing may have been a case of mistaken identity. I don't say this to suggest that her killing should have been viewed any less sympathetically because of the drug use but just to point out that a black youth would have almost automatically in that situation be viewed suspiciously and responsible in someway for the crime against him.

And the media coverage accordingly would have been vastly different.

And that's why when a PP expressed her exasperation at the thread given that a young innocent woman had just lost her life I'm afraid she just doesn't get it.

@PompomDahlia - had you or I been in exactly the same circumstances, I'm not sure that we would have quickly been portrayed as bright, funny, well educated etc and as you wondered, it's likely that negative presumptions of character would have been attached to us.

It is truly sad how this young woman has died but the relative public/media response is a reminder of the differential value of life

About 13 years ago some guy would not leave me alone, I went on a blind date, could tell he wasn’t quite right and tried to let him down gently. He moved to my town, months of flowers and notes on my car at home and work, Managers at work told him to stop calling work, made friends with people in my circles, harassed me on every SM platform, had his friends request me when I’d blocked him. Had to delete all SM and change my number, then he was trying to befriend my friends and harassing them for my friends for my number. Threatened my boyfriend. Reported him and eventually got a harassment notice served but before I did the first Police officer asked why I’d kept everything and said he thought I’d kept everything because I was enjoying the attention I’m white, I don’t think it’s always down to race, us ladies need to stick together.

@Forwhatitsworth101

Whilst I’m sad about the Sarah Everend case I can’t help but feel even worse knowing if she had been black literally no one would have cared and it would not have made national news.

Countless non-white women are abducted and murdered and literally go unnoticed.

I'm sorry that the rest of society doesn't do enough to show we care.

I'm the son of a black woman, the husband of a black woman and the father of a black girl.

I care about and love black women. You're not alone.

There was no vigil for Nicole and Bibaa to my knowledge - if there was it was local and didn't make the National press. Their family raised the alarm and found their bodies before the Police acted. They were murdered chatting and dancing in a park.

There absolutely is a racial bias and (as another white person), I am saddened Nicole and Bibaa did not get the same coverage and attention as Sarah.

@SkedaddIe
Thank you for your support. I stand together with black men in these issues.

@Lalaloopsieloo

What on earth has that account got to do with the killing of innocent women going unnoticed especially for black and working class women regardless of race?

@HunkyPunk

I am sorry (as a white person) to say that there definitely appears to be a white bias to the way crimes are perceived and reported, and the victims of crime dealt with. I didn't know the details of the murders of Nicole and Bibaa until I googled just now. Words fail me. The selfie with a dead horse taken recently by a trainer seemed to cause more revulsion and outrage than the abhorrent disrespect shown to the sisters' bodies by the police, fgs. Disgusting.

I had the same thoughts, HunkyPunk about the publicity around the race horse. I'm old now, I was involved in the very early days of trying to get some support for the Lawrence family following Stephen's murder Also the early campaigns around black deaths in custody. All the " lessons learned", supposedly. I'm glad that there was a loud outcry and publicity when Sarah went missing. It doesn't stop me from believing that: Nicole and Bibaa are not an important story to the white controlled press.

Who are the black/ none white girls abducted or murdered?
Can't recall any actually so there mustn't be any 🤬

I agree with some other posters who said that Sarah's case has received a lot of media attention because of the specific circumstances - she was walking home and murdered by a Met officer.
However, sadly, I also agree that murders and acts of crime against black women largely pass by unnoticed.
I cannot realistically imagine a world where a black womans death would be regarded with the same importance as a white womans.

@BarelyFunctioning The bodies of Bennylyn and her child have been found now 😢

@HopeClearwater Yes, I just saw that now in the news ☹️

I remember when Stephen Lawrence was murdered. The police were more interested in trying to find dirt on that poor family, rather than catch the cold-blooded killers. If my memory serves me correctly, didn't they put the Lawrence family under surveillance?

I don't think it is so much the crime, but rather the ethnicity of the person who has (allegedly) committed it.

A black man can be killed, and fools still want to bring up (alleged) rap sheet. As if that justifies the killing.

A white man can kill a multitude of innocent non white people, and he's having a bad day, or having mental health troubles..white men also weaponise their tears.

Actually, lemme rephrase: if you are black, you are presumed guilty..and if you're not beaten the shit out of/incarcerated/killed..you then have the job of proving to a racist system that you're innocent.

A very close family member was killed by the police. No one was punished. Not a single person. It was brushed under the carpet. Ashes to ashes..

[quote HopeClearwater]@BarelyFunctioning The bodies of Bennylyn and her child have been found now 😢[/quote]
😥

Yes, Lawrence family under surveillance Black.

Duwayne Brooks, Stephen's friend with him that evening, faced years of harassment by the police.
The murderers went onto kill others.

Detective Inspector Bullock faced disciplinary charges for neglect of duty. ( Years later) However, he retired the following day. ( So full pension and lump sum protected) No consequences, and no disciplinary hearing.

Four other officer did not face disciplinary charges, as they had already retired ( Full pension and lump sum).

Nothing's really changed, all these years on.