Renee, just to offer this as an adjunct to your piece. Outside Online not long ago published this about Jessica, and I wished to provide the link to those of your readers who might be interested:
Would that we could all be safe, regardless of color. Would that color or gender wouldn’t matter. I’ve also been solicited, and pawed, and manhandled, and I don’t carry the challenge of Traveling While Black. Your piece reminded me of an article (I can’t find it, with apologies) that noted that Black girl children disappear at alarming rates- everywhere. I don’t have answers. Only deep and abiding sadness, at how women are treated, at how women of color are treated, and what this says about the world and men at large. Everywhere. Thanks for your piece.