Racism: Another Form of Violence Against Girls
by Ya-Asantwa Ocran-Caesar

Hello and as you already know my name is Ya-Asantwa Ocran-Caesar. If anyone has trouble pronouncing it, it is spelt the way it sounds. Not only am I a young woman of color but I have a name that has caused me no end of trouble and frustration. Almost no one could say it and all during high school it was never spelt right by the administration. Many of you may not realize it but by most people I will be defined by my skin color, sex and age. They will see me and come to a conclusion as to who I am and how they can and will treat my just by looking at me for 10 seconds maybe less.

People will be able to rationalize insulting, abusing and ignoring me all because I am a young woman of color. Being a young woman today is hard enough but if you are also Black, Southasian, First Nations, Hispanic, etc. there are even more hardships and problems facing you the moment you walk out the door.

Racism is the main problem it is something that people avoid talking about as though it is some kind of plague. If you don't talk about it, it will go away on its own, or else it is not a form of violence against young women because it's Racism and that's not obviously violent. So people forget and concentrate on the obvious stuff, leaving people like me to start over explaining how Racism is a form of violence against girls. Racism shows it's self in all forms, one of the hardest to deal with is the verbal because it is so hard to forget. Who ever said "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" was probably a white male living with middle class parents. Not to say that they don't have problems, they do but being a young woman of color is a hard place to be.

Often when young women of colour are harassed, attacked, raped and murdered Racism is not often thought of to be an aggravating factor when more often that not it is the main reason other than they were female. Something that could be classified as a hate crime is not. It is just labeled as a simple rape, harassment or murder. For example the women missing from the down town eastside how many of them are first nations the police are just treating it as a simple missing persons case when the women's ethnicity could very wall be a factor.

Another place where there are major problems are schools, elementary and secondary all have what they call a NO TOLERANCE POLICY that means that if someone is being racist or discriminatory in any way they are quickly and severely reprimanded. There is one tiny problem with this policy, most if not all teachers, principals and vice principals either doesn't know how to identify racist and sexist behavior or else they turn a blind eye to it hoping it will go away. They say that they are just teasing you, all boys do that, and you're not hurt "physically." My favorite was always "just ignore them it/they will stop." If it is just teasing why is the only young woman of colour being "teased." I have to wrap this up now; we each have 5 minutes to speak 10 minutes max. My main reason for coming here today was to try and educate people. Most people believe that we live in a tolerant society and that when people are racist that they are reprimanded and then everyone is happy and everything is ok. Well as you have just heard it is not and if just one of you goes home having learned something or been helped then what I have just said will have been worth while, because believe it or not I am terrified of public speaking. Thank-you for taking the time to come and listen to us and I hope that you have a good night.