Why do cases of missing Black women rarely make US headlines? | The Stream

Al Jazeera English published this video item, entitled “Why do cases of missing Black women rarely make US headlines? | The Stream” – below is their description.

Each year in the US, tens of thousands of Black women and girls are involved in disappearance cases, but very few of these stories will ever receive mainstream media attention.

In the case of Lauren Smith-Fields, a 23-year-old Black woman found dead in her Connecticut apartment on December 12, national news outlets eventually picked up on her story, but only after a wave of social media hashtags and TikTok videos criticised local authorities and the media for not doing their jobs.

Although racial minorities are involved in missing persons cases at disproportionate rates compared to White people, missing Black women are sometimes viewed as runaway situations or simply not treated as a priority by police. A criminal investigation for Smith-Fields did not begin until more than a month after her death. Advocates for women of colour say the case once again highlights how racial bias can contribute to a lack of urgency when it comes to the lives of Black women.

American media has long been criticised for “Missing White Woman Syndrome”, or giving extra attention to missing White women while excluding other missing persons cases. Some cases, like those of Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old missing White woman who was later found murdered, are able to garner sustained national media coverage for weeks. Only about one-fifth of disappearance cases involving racial minorities receive coverage in US media, according to a 2016 study.

In this episode of The Stream, we’ll discuss the issues surrounding missing Black women and how their cases are treated.

Join the conversation:

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AJStream

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AJStream

Subscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe

#aljazeeraenglish

#ajstream

#laurensmithfields

Al Jazeera English YouTube Channel

Got a comment? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, below. Please note comments are moderated before publication.


About This Source - Al Jazeera English

The video item below is a piece of English language content from Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera is a Qatari state-funded broadcaster based in Doha, Qatar, owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network.

Recent from Al Jazeera English:

Can international justice stop israel? | inside story 1

Can international justice stop Israel? | Inside Story

A prolonged dry spell across the Indian-administered Kashmir

US march for life: Abortion rights likely issue in Nov election

In This Story: Gabby Petito

Gabrielle Petito was a 22-year-old American woman from Suffolk County, New York, who was reported missing on September 11, 2021, while traveling across the United States with her fiancé. Her family lost contact with her in late August when she was in or near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Her remains were found on September 19 2021 in Teton County, Wyoming. Officials suspect she was murdered.

5 Recent Items: Gabby Petito

Gabby Petito Case: Brian Laundrie’s Parents Deny ‘Full Knowledge’ of Gabby’s Murder

Gabby Petito Case: 3 Shocking Revelations in ‘Burn After Reading’ Letter from Brian Laundrie’s Mom

‘Dispose of a Body’: Gabby Petito Case Heats Up as Disturbing Letter from Killer’s Mom Surfaces

‘Burn after reading’ letter found in killer’s backpack

WATCH LIVE: Gabby Petito Murder Case: Petito Family v. Laundrie Family Civil Lawsuit Hearing

In This Story: Police

The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and the use of force legitimized by the state via the monopoly on violence.

2 Recent Items: Police

Teacher threatened to behead and slit student’s throat. Hear from her parents

Dog helps Michigan police rescue owner from icy lake

In This Story: TikTok

TikTok, known in China as Douyin, is a Chinese video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based Internet technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming. It is used to create short music, lip-sync, dance, comedy and talent videos of 3 to 15 seconds, and short looping videos of 3 to 60 seconds.

ByteDance first launched Douyin for the Chinese market in September 2016. Later, TikTok was launched in 2017 for iOS and Android in most markets outside of mainland China; however, it only became available worldwide, including the United States, after merging with another Chinese social media service Musical.ly on 2 August 2018.

Download #Ad

3 Recent Items: TikTok

GMA Life: Sat, Jan 20, 2024

CES 2024: Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid

Crypto, stablecoins, payment systems, and regulation: Circle CEO weighs in from Davos

Leave a Comment

We don't require your email address, or your name, for anyone to leave a comment. If you do add an email address, you may be notified if there are replies to your comment - we won't use it for any other purpose. Please make respectful comments, which add value, and avoid personal attacks on others. Links are not allowed in comments - 99% of spam comments, attempt to post links. Please describe where people may find additional information - for example "visit the UN website" or "search Google for..." rather than posting a link. Comments failing to adhere to these guidelines will not be published.