by
Alana Abramson
| 03/20/2012
Profs. Anita Hill (Heller) and Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) hosted a conference yesterday to explore the issue of sexual assault of African-American women, which featured panel discussions with several outside professors who research various aspects of sexual violence and race. The conference, which was an all-day affair that took place in the Levin Ballroom, was designed to foster discussion about the "multi-layered legal, religious and cultural histories which have created myths and stereotypes that add up to a 'script' that determines who will be readily believed as a victim, who will be doubted and what impact that has on who reports rape and who does not," according to BrandeisNOW. It included two panels and a short play. Hill opened the conference by saying that its goal was to "expose slavery's enduring legacy and give definition to the terms 'justice' and 'fairness' in the lives of African-American women who are victims of sexual assault." Hill also explained that an enhanced understanding of sexual assault could ultimately produce better enforcement of equal protection laws. "Courtroom dramas, ... as evidenced by plays like 12 Angry Men and television shows like Law and Order, resonate with the public and can effectively communicate nuanced legal and moral issues to a broader audience," she explained.
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