Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools

by Monique W. Morris

“No,” she said. “I got into prostitution because the guy that raped me, he forced me on the track. Basically, I didn’t go willingly at first, but ever since he did that to me, my whole life just changed, and that was at twelve years old. Ever since then, my life’s been off-track.” She spoke the words with such direct honesty that I suspected she had told this story before. Her youth was obscured by a very painful and complicated past. Her large wide eyes continued to squint as she discussed her struggle to learn and to acquire skills that could help her earn a living without having sex. “Has anyone worked with you to try to help you get what you need to get back in school or talked to you about how you can make the transition off of the street?” I asked. “No. Nobody really helped me. Honestly, it took me about four years to get back on track. I’m just now getting back on track. So all this stuff I go through, I go through myself. I encourage myself.”