The violence is rooted in the desire to violate and dominate the Black women's bodies, often perceived as a threat. It is anchored in the term "adultifcation" and systemic racism, where Black girls are often perceived to be older and more mature than they actually are.
In the most recent video released Thursday, one of the officers can be heard telling the girl, "You did it to yourself, hun."
The recent video of police in upstate New York using pepper spray against a 9-year-old girl draws attention to a pattern of disproportionately harsh punishment against Black girls by law enforcement and other authority figures.
