#MuteRKelly: A Movement Centering Black Female Victims of Sex Trafficking
Kenyette Tisha Barnes | September 19 | 3:15-4:15 pm
Topic: Conceptual, Experience | Knowledge Level: Beginner
In 2017, founded by Kenyette Tisha Barnes and Oronike Odeleye, #MuteRKelly used a hybrid organizing strategy to hold accountable R&B singer Robert Sylvester Kelly, “R. Kelly”, for over 30 years of unchecked sexual violence, sex trafficking, and violence against adolescent and young adult Black women and girls. As a result of the campaign, there was a marked economic loss of approximately $4 Million in lost ticket sales, bans from urban radio, canceled concerts, media and entertainment scrutiny (most notably the docuseries, “Surviving R. Kelly”), and a Federal conviction. #MuteRKelly, created a paradigm shift and exposed how the intersections of power, misogynoir, and adultification, created a breeding ground for corruption, sex trafficking, and abuse. #MuteRKelly approached activism from an intersectional lens, understanding that the dominant players within the anti-trafficking movement often neglect the unique experiences of Black female victims of sexual violence. Next, the campaign sought to organize a diverse coalition of legislative, judicial, mental health, media, entertainment, and community partners. Finally, #MuteRKelly employed traditional grassroots organizing, including protests, rallies, and the formulation of 13 global chapters, including Berlin and Amsterdam. In this session, the presenter will provide a call to action for intersectionality in programming, reporting, and agency leadership and to divest from the systemic marginalization of BIPOC thought leaders and survivors' voices in the anti-trafficking discourse.
Presentation Objectives:
• Introduce attendees to the genesis, coalition partners, and historic progression of the #MuteRKelly Campaign
• Reinforce the concepts of intersectionality, misogynoir, and adultification and synthesize how these concepts underpinned R. Kelly's 30-year sexual abuse and sex trafficking behaviors
• Discuss how the intersections of power, race, misogynoir, and adultification underpinned the vilification of #MuteRKelly organizers and secondary trauma of R Kelly's survivors and their family members
• Discuss the weaponization of social media and lack of response by social media moderators to address the abuse, doxxing, and harassment of #MuteRKelly organizers and survivors