Quoted: Malika Saada Saar on the ‘Precious’ Ending That Should Have Been Shown
This movie is in many ways a fairy tale. The character Precious gets to be saved by a caring caseworker and a loving teacher. In real life, poor, undereducated and sexually victimized girls are most likely to end up in the juvenile justice system.I see it all the time. There is the 13-year-old who became pregnant to stop her uncle from raping her — a girl whom I met not at an incest survivors group but in a girls’ detention facility. Or the girl raped so many times by age 13 that she feels worthy of being prostituted and cannot see a life for herself beyond jail. Or the girl who was kidnapped by a pimp, repeatedly raped by him, prostituted by him — only to be arrested and placed behind bars for prostitution.
Girls in the United States are subject to violence with horrifying frequency. One in three American girls will experience sexual violence by age 18, regardless of race or class. Girls ages 16 to 19 across the ethnic and economic spectrum are four times more likely than others to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. No girl is safe from being raped, exploited or abused.
Yet when girls in economically stable families are hurt by sexual violence, the protective layers of functional schools, safe neighborhoods and access to mental-health services tend to buffer them from further exploitation. For girls at the margins, sexual violence often funnels them into the criminal justice system.
Sex trafficking or running away from abusive homes and foster-care placements are the primary reasons for girls’ incarceration. These girls are not being detained for violent offenses or because they are becoming gang-bangers or murderers. Girls are ending up behind bars after the damage they endure from rape and sexual abuse. A recent Oregon Social Learning Center study of chronically delinquent girls found that the median age of the first sexual encounter among detained girls was 7.
The judges sentencing these girls to detention aren’t necessarily another bad guy in their stories. Often, judges don’t want to return girls to abusive homes or to a ruthless pimp, so they detain the girls as a way to keep them safe.
Unfortunately, detained girls often endure sexual violence and exploitation behind bars. Many girls are placed in solitary confinement, where self-mutilation often occurs. Some facilities require girls to shower in front of male guards or subject them to cross-gender strip searches. Girls in detention facilities are also routinely sexually coerced or abused by staff. While girls make up only 11 percent of the population of state-operated juvenile facilities, they account for 34 percent of the victims of sexual violence in these facilities.
— ‘Precious’ girls without a happy ending, by Malika Saada Saar, founder of the Rebecca Project for Human Rights
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Sharlayo wrote:
I work in a home in Jamaica that functions as a sort of dentention center for girls here. It is amazing how when I tell people about my work they say “oh those bad girls, it must be terrible!” I always correct them and let them know that it was the ADULTS in their lives that let them down. They were running away from abuse, acting out (like taking drugs or having sex on school property) because of the ABUSE they endured.
Thank you Malika Saada Saar for bringing light to this issue. It is such a struggle to work against the stigma of girls in detentions and situations where they are placed in a government home that they are not bad, they have been let down- by the adults that were supposed to care for them and by the society in which they live.
The saddest part of all is that even at the home they are not safe. The girls are coerced into having sex with the men that congregate ouside of the fence of the facility and then cut holes in it so the girls can get out (we already have one developmentally delayed girl who is pregnant by one). And the girls coerce each other into having sex and sometimes force each other to have sex. It is a terrible and heart-breaking cycle.
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 2:03 pm ¶
Sarah wrote:
Sharlayo,
Your work as brave as the situation is heartbreaking.
Why aren’t these men who congregate outside the facility could be prosecuted or arrested for attempted (or actual) pedophilia?
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 2:30 pm ¶
Winn wrote:
Malika Saada Saar was on NPR’s “Tell Me More” today discussing this article. Its a very informative interview that complements the article well; the audio is available on NPR.org.
I can’t recommend highly enough the documentary “Very Young Girls”. The sexual exploitation and trafficking of young girls it depicts, particularly minority girls fleeing incest and abuse at home only to be abducted, held captive, raped, and then turned out, is sickening, Even more sickening is seeing the criminal justice system treat them as hardened criminals rather than the victims deserving treatment and advocacy that they are. There is a heartbreaking scene of one girl’s mother fruitlessly launching her own search for her daughter, and when she gets a strong tip of where she’s being held, making an absolutely useless trip to the police to enlist their “help”. I’m sure you can imagine what transpires. That scene provoked such ear-splitting rage in me, which then settled into an almost numb acceptance, a “what else did I expect?” reaction.
But there are bright spots in the film that kept me from staying in that headspace. A sympathetic and intelligent judge who cares more about supporting the girls than criminalizing them. The wonderful GEMS program and all the work they do on behalf of these girls. For some girls, there is the hope for recovery, and for us, very clear paths we need to follow, just as Saar advises, in changing our systemic approach at the level of criminal justice, the educational system, the family structure, and the community, to intervene in the real sexual victimization of girls in our own cities, towns, and neighborhoods. ‘Precious’ has been provoking more conversations about this topic even before it was released; let’s hope it continues and motivates some kind of tangible change, across all communities but especially for girls marginalized by issues of race and poverty.
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 2:46 pm ¶
SamanthA wrote:
I will never understand why America is so fascinated with poor POC girls who survive, instead of the poor POC girls who don’t. And I resent this deeply. Mr. Malika Saada Saar’s work only touches on part of this.
I support PUSH as the book, but I don’t support the “glory-ing” of Precious the movie. I have yet to hear anyone moved to action on behalf of girls who live this out everyday. Everyone seems simply appalled. Sigh….
Can anyone tell me why this is? please…..
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 3:33 pm ¶
Matthew Milam wrote:
This is very simple really.
Let’s say you are standing next to someone whose father recently became ill with a disease very few doctors can cure. This is obviously an emotionally draining experience for the person listening and they eventually make up a lie to leave the conversation. The why is because the conversation is depressing.
Same thing here. If Precious simply had the terrible tragic ending, on top of the already depressing main storyline, no one would go watch it. This economy is in terrible times, people are feeling bankrupt, mirroring that (in terms of entertainment) would make their industry go bankrupt.
I know it’s a comfortable seat of thinking to believe that people need to see the truth. This world has never been comfortable with the truth. Not even the people who report the truth who wish for the truth even want the truth.
For the sake of being fair, I will agree that an ending of a more realistic fair should be introduced into this kind of film. The problem is if it’s too dark, you’ll have people believe even more that there is no hope for those kids. It wouldn’t be a call to action. More like a call for prozac and a Meg Ryan film.
Life On Mars (the original UK version) is a good example of a happy, yet not happy ending. Rent the series finale and you’ll understand what I mean (don’t want to spoil it here).
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 3:59 pm ¶
Kym wrote:
Sorry SamanthA, but America IS FAR from fascinated with young girls of color who survive any sort of abuse. Oh sure, “Precious” will garner its fifteen minutes of fame (and I actually read PUSH when it first came out in 1996), but until the entire juvenile justice system (and the entire justice system as a WHOLE) is retooled, these girls (and boys) will simply be a statistic. And also, women of color need to stand up for our girls and stop accepting the foolishness that is patriarchy in the name of racial solidarity. We’re letting an entire generation of girls down and I see the results every day. They need to be taught to be strong and to demand respect.
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 4:05 pm ¶
S. Dot wrote:
I must agree that so many times Hollywood paints a fairy tale image of a harsh life, and it sickens me. I especially cannot stand the Great White Hope Who Saves the Stupid Black Kids movies (Dangerous Minds was the best of the bunch, Freedom Fighters was the worst). But I do understand why Hollywood does it. I live in the real world. I live in these hard streets. I don’t necessarily want to see the more accurate and hard ending. I’d much rather watch a movie that has a fairy tale ending. There’s something about it that gives me hope. And let’s face it. Happy endings may be few and fair between . . . but they do exist.
For those interested in urban, indie films, check out this indiestry movie about the streets of D.C.:
http://blog.theindiestry.com/2009/11/09/indepedent-movie-spotlight-jazz-in-the-diamond-district.aspx
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 4:11 pm ¶
Big Man wrote:
Damn this was just sad. Just sad, sad information. It’s a horrible situation out here.
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 4:20 pm ¶
BlackNarcissus wrote:
Whenever I read about things like this, Valerie Solanas and her SCUM Manifesto come vividly to mind.
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 5:23 pm ¶
jvansteppes wrote:
@ BlackNarcissus; so true, didn’t she die really young while living on the street?
The fairy tale ending for stories like this is necessary because it obscures the fact that the system actually sabotages potential justice for marginalized girls.
Posted 18 Nov 2009 at 6:39 pm ¶
AS wrote:
America is fascinated with poor children of color? Since when? When a white girl goes missing, you get wall to wall coverage, Amber alerts, searches by Texas Eqqui Search, the parents get to go on Good Morning America and Larry King to plead for their child’s return. How many of you know who Jon Benet Ramsey is? How many know who Caley Anthony is? How about Natalee Holloway is? Or Polly Klass? All of them white girls whose disappearance merited 24 hours of coverage whether it be press conferences or the discovery of a piece of lint. Now, how many of you know who Shamiya Davis is? Three days ago her mother called 911 to report her missing. It turns out her mother had given her to her baby’s father/sister’s ex to take to a motel to rape her in exchange for crack. Two days later, the child was found in her favorite blanket covered in feces. The only person who covered it was Nancy Grace (she is the ONLY one to ever cover missing children of color). The details of the story before her death were shocking and sickening, yet I heard nothing about it anywhere. Why? Because America is not interested in saving children like her or her life/death does not resonate with them beyond a movie.
A few weeks ago, a Dominican family was running a sex slavery outfit right in a mini-mall. These women worked as waitresses who were bruised and beaten up by their pimps at night. It was a ring involving hundreds. It made the news for one night, maybe.
The so-called Christian “red states” are having more out of wedlock white teen pregnancies than people of color. We never hear that when we are talking about the problem of teen pregnancies. We also never hear about the stunning rates of incest in Appalachia because while those people are white, they are toothless, poor, on drugs, and embarrass white people.
The upshot of all this is that at the end of Precious, you can go home. You can think about something else. Real stories, with real faces, and personal encounters with the abandoned persons in our society would impose some sort of moral burden to do something. If at the end of Precious, the movie cited the Justice Department estimation that only 10% of sexual violence is ever reported, then the man who went with his girlfriend, the girl who went with her her, and everyone else would leave the theater wondering if their friends, family, or fellow moviegoers who are not in the “bad girl” category had suffered like that. No Hollywood studio is checking for that, no matter how noble and helpful it would be.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 10:43 am ¶
Orville wrote:
Why do people act like the movie Precious is real when it is NOT? The movie is fiction
written by the poet/writer Sapphire.
The novel is based on Sapphire’s interpretation and experiences.
I resent the fact people make it seem like this movie “shines” a light into the black poor families in America when it does not. This movie is extraordinary and over the top. It is cheap and a form of manipulation.
Armond White is correct Precious is a con job.
The movie has a happy ending because that’s Hollywood the dream factory. It’s about making people feel good it’s about making middle class white liberals feel superior to African Americans.
I think that’s the reason why this movie is getting so much praise. The fact remains this movie stereotypes the black poor in America. I am not suggesting there are not horrible stories about incest and child abuse in African American families.
I am suggesting this movie I fear may stereotype the black poor and I am against this.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 3:00 pm ¶
Terrie wrote:
@AS. Do you mean Shaniya Davis? The disapperance was covered by mainstream news, such as ABC, http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=9086298, and CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/18/shaniya.davis/index.html.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 4:12 pm ¶
Michelle wrote:
I wish someone had told me it wasn’t my fault. All the trouble i got into could have been avoided, or at least lessened, had someone bothered to find out what the problem really was. Keep up the good work…there are far too few people like you in the world. Bless you for giving these girls a voice.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 10:32 pm ¶
mimi wrote:
I’ve gone passed media events like Precious and faced this reality: sexual abuse of girls will not stop until we build an army of women dedicated to making sure this won’t happen. I used to focus on men and controlling male behavior as the reason why. I now realize that is a colossal waste of time and doesn’t even begin to address the issue of what females can do to empower ourselves regardless of what men try to do to us. It’s called personal accountability and responsibility. It’s also about women bonding and banding together in unity against sexual abuse at the hand of men. I’m tired of this being a male centered discussion with only male-centered solutions. Enough of this not wanting to accept our share of the load. It’s not about blame, it’s about getting a new focus. Children need to be protected at all cost. And it’s the maternal obligation of the woman to do that. If that is impossible, then relinquish/surrender maternal control to those who can provide the necessary care. I’m afraid that if women don’t begin to understand this, the basic democratic rights that we take for granted will be stripped from us. Maybe that’s still a long way off for people to take seriously, but sadly, if things keep going in this direction, it will happen.
Posted 20 Nov 2009 at 2:49 pm ¶
Tae wrote:
@Orville: So since the book was a work of fiction, that you are against, does this man that you are against young females that go through similar experiences? Because that’s the way it seems.
Regardless of what we feel about the writing/movie, there are millions of girls or all colors and nationalities that have to deal with similar experiences. Everybody can’t live like the Huxtables. And as far as your stereotypes comment, I say HA! AA’s don’t need a movie to reinforce stereotypes. The kids who killed Derion Albert, you tube and superficial Hip Hop songs have done enough of that on its on.
Posted 24 Nov 2009 at 12:11 pm ¶
Ana-Stasia wrote:
@Orville: Even if the book itself is a work of fiction, you still state that it is “based on Sapphire’s interpretation and experiences.” Being based on a individual’s experiences and the things that they see around them makes it “real,” even if they protagonist isn’t Sapphire herself.
Moreover, although the film (and book) focuses on the extreme effects of racism, neglect, and poverty on a young woman, it is not “over the top” or “exaggerated.” Systematic physical and sexual violence is a problem, not just in the United States but throughout the world, and is only worsened by people refusing to accept its existence. As Malika Saada Saar states in her article, 1 in 3 American women will, by age 18, experience some form of sexual violence. For women with lower SES, such as those who live in poverty or in places where there are no resources to deal with these issues, there may be no way out of the vicious cycle that Saada Saar describes.
I do not believe that “Precious” stereotypes against African-Americans; I believe that it brings to light one story of an individual’s struggle against racism, SES, class and extreme family issues. Yes, this could also occur in a Caucasian family, especially one of lower SES. However, racism is an institution that combines prejudice with power and systematically deprives minorities, especially African-Americans, of the same rights and privileges that whites have. African-Americans are automatically at a disadvantage in this country because of racism, whether or not they feel personally affected. Because of all this, it’s much harder for African Americans to escape these circumstances.
Posted 01 Dec 2009 at 12:46 am ¶