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E-book
Author Feinstein, Rachel A., author

Title When rape was legal : the untold history of sexual violence during slavery / by Rachel A. Feinstein
Published New York : Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, 2019

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Description 1 online resource (xvii, 89 pages)
Series New critical viewpoints on society series
New critical viewpoints on society series.
Contents Introduction -- The voices of black women & black men : why sexual violence by white men was rampant during slavery -- White masculinity and sexual violence against enslaved black women -- White women's role in sexual violence of enslaved black women -- The power of language : white women's divorce petitions -- Racialized & gendered sexual violence today -- Concluding thoughts
Summary When Rape was Legal is the first book to solely focus on the widespread rape perpetrated against enslaved black women by white men in the United States. The routine practice of sexual violence against enslaved black women by white men, the motivations for this rape, and the legal context that enabled this violence are all explored and scrutinized. Enlightening analysis found that rape was not merely a result of sexual desire and opportunity, or simply a form of punishment and racial domination, but instead encompassed all of these dimensions as part of the identity of white masculinity. This provocative text highlights the significant role that white women played in enabling sexual violence against enslaved black women through a variety of responses and, at times, through their lack of response to the actions of the white men in their lives. Significantly, this book finds that sexual violence against enslaved black women was a widespread form of oppression used to perform white masculinity and reinforce an intersectional hierarchy. Additionally, white women played a vital role by enabling this sexual violence and perpetuating the subordination of themselves and those subordinate to them
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Print version record and CIP data provided by publisher
Subject Enslaved women -- Abuse of -- United States
Rape -- United States -- History
SOCIAL SCIENCE -- Discrimination & Race Relations.
SOCIAL SCIENCE -- Minority Studies.
Rape
United States
Genre/Form Electronic books
History
Form Electronic book
LC no. 2018009653
ISBN 9781315210285
1315210282
9781351809184
1351809180
9781351809191
1351809199
9781351809177
1351809172