Working Under the Myth of the Black Rapist

Abstract

Chapter 5 posits that the journey for Black boys adopting anti-violent perspectives is substantially different than that of their White peers because they must operate under negative tropes about their propensity for aggression: There is a belief that Black men have a special propensity for forcefully acting out their sexual desires on women. “The myth of the Black rapist” is identified as a term, and the author provides contemporary and historical evidence of its existence. Examples can be found in the criminal justice system and pornography. Chapter 5 reminds readers that caution in initiating sexual activity is an appropriate standard and closes with a challenge that Black men overcome historical stereotypes by becoming recognized advocates for anti-violence.