The Issues
Police and Sexual Misconduct
Sexual violence by the police is systemic and widespread. Nationally, investigations have found patterns of sexual misconduct by officers during traffic stops, minor offenses, interactions with teenagers, and while off-duty.
- Police are accused of an act of sexual misconduct at least every five days. (1)
- Half of officer arrests for sexual misconduct are for incidents involving minors. (2)
- A survey of New York City youth found 2 in 5 young women — almost half of whom were Black, Latina or Asian — reported sexual harassment by officers. (1)
- Between 2009–2014, one study found 11% of decertified police officers lost their licenses because of sexual misconduct—but that does not mean they were charged with a crime. (3)
- Though records of police misconduct are not often made public, research into those records uncovered 3,145 allegations of rape, child molestation, and other sexual misconduct and 2,307 cases of domestic violence by officers over the last decade. (4)
“Sexual predation by police officers happens far more often than people in the business are willing to admit.” – former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper
Policing in Schools
Police violence disproportionately threatens and traumatizes Black children in schools. Law enforcement in schools does not keep children safe, but does expose them to harm.
- In American schools, Black girls are over-represented in arrests and referrals to law enforcement. (5)
- While they make up 16% of the student population, Black students represent 31% of all students arrested or referred to law enforcement. There is no evidence that Black students have higher rates of misbehavior. (5)
- Black girls represent 17% of the school population, but 43% of all girls arrested at school. (5)
- Police and security personnel in schools can make Black girls feel less safe and less likely to attend school. (6)
Officials at a Florida elementary school called police because a six-year-old girl was having a tantrum. Officers arrested the young Black girl, led her away to a juvenile detention center in handcuffs as she cried. (7)
School discipline
State-sponsored discrimination, violence, and trauma against Black kids is carried out by school administrations as well.
- Black girls are 3x more likely to be physically restrained in schools than white girls. (5)
- There are four million teachers in the U.S. and only 7% are black; yet 16% of the student population in the U.S. is black. (5)
- Nearly 32% of public schools with 50%+ students of color took serious disciplinary action in response to physical attacks or fights; only 16% of public schools with predominantly white students did. (8)
- Black boys are 3x more likely to be suspended from school than white boys.
- Black girls are 6x more likely to be suspended from school than white girls.
